Travels
by Hayley128
Summary: One helpful hand turns into multiple chance meetings. Is it coincidence or destiny? AU Doccubus.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is for the awesome bidder, ohsixtytwo, who bid for this in the ClubDoccubus auction. Hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Lost Girl.**

* * *

It was cold and the first thought Lauren had was how ill-prepared she was.

Actually, that wasn't the case at all. She was always prepared. Her personality demanded it. She just wasn't prepared for all the bad luck she had to encounter today. Her mind saw the difference.

First, her car broke down as she was driving home from a very messy break up fight that involved her now ex-girlfriend saying that they simply weren't compatible anymore. Lauren was pretty sure that equated to her wanting to date the TA that kept flirting with her in her English Lit class but she knew that would never be said. Even if she was sure she saw the TA's car outside the building when she left with the woman in the driver's seat trying desperately not to be seen.

Then she remembered she forgot to charge her cellphone and wasn't able to call for help when the engine of her old Ford Taurus started to smoke. Of course, it had to stop in a bad neighborhood so she didn't dare ask anyone if she could use one of their phones to call for a tow truck. Not that she had the money to fix the piece of junk anyway.

Her jacket was too thin, she really needed a hat because her ears felt like they might fall off and that was just the beginning of things that she should have thought of today. Lauren had been walking for an hour and it getting was getting dark. It made her nervous and she really hoped she could find a place soon where she could call someone.

She silently cursed the fact that her ex thought living in a less than safe area off campus made her more artistic.

"Hey, you got a dollar?"

Lauren tried not to sigh when she heard the voice off to the side. This had all the makings of the start of a very bad situation and it was the last thing she needed. She only had a small amount of money until she got paid from her student aid job and she tried hard not to use credit cards.

"Sorry, no," she said quietly and put her head down, avoiding eye contact.

There was movement off to her right side and suddenly a man stood in front of her, blocking her way. "Now that's not very polite." He clucked his tongue in a condescending way that made Lauren want to run quickly.

But she didn't. The man was much taller and generally larger than she was. He was dirty but looked warmer than her with his oversized hat and thick jacket. She knew she was about to get robbed. The day was turning from bad to dangerous fast.

"Empty your pockets. Now."

Lauren tried her best not to look afraid but she knew she was failing. "I don't have anything."

"You're lying," he said and took a step forward. "Give me everything now or I will drag you into that alley over there and make you wish you'd just given me your money."

She saw a quick flash of light and realized he had a knife in his hand. Quickly weighing her options, she figured giving him a useless cellphone that was out of date and dead along with the few dollars and change that totaled $14.57 probably wouldn't make him go away. It probably would only piss him off and she'd end up dying in the alley he'd just pointed toward anyway.

There were no good options and Lauren wanted to cry.

"I guess it's option B for you."

He reached out to grab her and Lauren's mind did what she never thought it would do: it shut down. She wasn't running. She wasn't fighting. All she managed to do was take a step back and that did nothing to deter him. Then she heard a voice.

"Hey! Get away from her!"

Lauren turned away from the mugger just in time to see someone running toward them. It barely registered with her how fast the person was running until she was being pushed over by the man before he ran down the street. A second later the person ran past her as she dropped to the sidewalk, likely with the purpose of catching the man had tried to take what little Lauren actually had at the moment.

She was a little dazed by everything because the next thing she knew there was someone kneeling in front of her. At that moment she realized the person who chased the mugger away was a woman, though much of her features were hidden. She wore a black baseball hat that hid her hair and sunglasses that looked out of place since it was too dark out now for them to be of any use. Black boots, blue jeans and a leather jacket made it look as though she was too good for the rundown area Lauren had been walking through. None of that mattered though. Lauren was just thankful she was there.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Lauren nodded. "I didn't give him anything. My car broke down and my phone's dead. I was just trying to find somewhere I can call someone."

The woman nodded. "Take a right at the corner and there's a coffee shop about three blocks away. They'll let you use their phone as long as you buy a cup of coffee." She reached into her pocket and pulled out two twenties. "Here, you look like you could use this. You know, for a cab to get home if you can't get ahold of someone."

Lauren thought for a moment before taking the money. "Thanks . . . for everything."

She helped Lauren get to her feet. "No problem. That moron went the other way so he shouldn't bother you. I'd walk with you but I'm late for an appointment. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah," Lauren said and looked at her, trying to see more of the intriguing woman. "How can I pay you back?"

"Don't worry about it," she said easily and took a couple steps away from Lauren. "Just get to where you're going, okay?"

Lauren nodded and the woman walked away quickly back the way she came. It was tempting to watch her leave but she wanted to get out of the area and just go home. She shoved her hands in her pockets and nearly ran in the direction she was told.

She just wanted to forget the day ever existed.

* * *

 _** Eight years later **_

It was something Lauren had never done before, going on vacation for Christmas. There had always been someplace to go. There was family or friends or that odd year she spent with her neighbor and the woman's five cats. There had always been a place to go.

This was the first year of what Lauren called a new beginning. Her father had died five years ago and her mother a year later. She wasn't close to any other relatives so she never went to their homes for the holiday and she was an only child. A couple times an aunt or cousin had invited her but she thought it would be too awkward and politely turned them down.

The thought of spending it with friends was the furthest from her mind. Less than a year ago she'd been offered a position at hospital doing general surgery. It paid well but it meant moving clear across the country, something she had to think twice about. She had developed good relationships at the hospital she worked at and had a few close friends. Leaving them wasn't easy but in the end she knew it was better to start fresh and her friends agreed, only wishing her well and saying they'd visit.

As far as dating went, Lauren could only laugh to herself any time she'd thought of it. She had a couple disastrous relationships that took her through her undergraduate years and after that she was a little turned off by the whole idea. Given her work schedule at the hospital, she tended to lean toward more casual dating. One of her friends told her she was simply afraid of getting burned again, which was probably true. Lauren just didn't want to think about that.

Instead, she decided to skip Christmas and finding someone to spend it with and go somewhere warm and sunny, maybe work on her tan a little. The long hours at the hospital had made her pale and her coworkers joked that maybe they wouldn't even recognize her if she came back with a little sun. So she researched and found the easiest place to go would be spend a few days in the Florida Keys. Thanks to her new job she was able to book a nice resort that looked relaxing. It even had "tranquility" in its name so she hoped staying at Tranquility Bay would leave her rested and rejuvenated.

"Excuse me, can I get your name?"

Lauren blinked and shook her current thoughts out of her head as she focused her attention on the overly happy woman at the front desk. "Ah, yes, hi. Reservation should be under Lauren Lewis."

The bleached-blonde, petite woman that had her uniform showing just enough cleavage as to be distracting smiled and looked down at her computer screen. "Ms. Lewis, I see your reservation right here. You're with us for five days at one of our beach houses." She printed out a couple sheets of paper and placed them in front of Lauren. "I'll need you to sign here and initial here and here." She paused as she handed Lauren a pen. "Now, there are brochures for the activities we offer and the hours of the bars and dining areas in your beach house but if you need anything we're here to help."

Lauren put the pen down and let a small smile show. "Thank you." She thought about adding that she just wanted to be left alone while she was here, hence the extra expense to rent a beach house, so she wouldn't need the activities pitch. The comment wasn't really needed though so she simply collected the keys and walked out into the sunny early afternoon.

That was the purpose of the trip, to be alone but to at least be in a beautiful location while she was. She figured she could read a book, one of those great science fiction novels she'd been putting off instead of her normal medical journals, while lounging in a chair that looked out toward the ocean. There might even be a Corona or two in the mix. All in all, she just wanted to forget everything for a few days so she could go back to the real world relaxed.

Putting on her aviators, her smile got a little wider as she walked toward the place that would be home for the next five days.

* * *

The first day was wonderful.

For the first time in a long time, Lauren had a full night's sleep. It was peaceful and uninterrupted. She wasn't on call and didn't have to stay awake for hours and even days on end. The bed in the master bedroom of the beach house was more comfortable than her bed at home. It seemed to mold to her body in a way that made her want to take it home with her.

Lauren had rented a car just in case she wanted to explore the area so she had been able to stock the kitchen as she settled in. That meant when she woke up in the morning she could still develop a routine. Even though she was on vacation, her OCD tendencies were still present and it just wasn't in her to completely change everything she did. So when she woke up from the most restful sleep ever she showered then settled down at the kitchen table with a glass of orange juice and some fresh fruit.

She looked over a couple of the brochures that had been waiting for her when she first arrived and wondered what would happen if she actually tried any of them. The thought of taking aquatic yoga on her vacation with a bunch of strangers didn't exactly appeal to her. Since she was alone noisy people would ask why and then claim to know the solution to all her problems. That was not something Lauren was interested in.

Keeping it simple was the key. Lauren decided that after breakfast she would just find an empty and hopefully relatively secluded chair outside where she could relax with her book. She grabbed a towel, her book and a bottle of water before walking out of the house and onto the beach. It was mid-morning and it was still cool out so Lauren decided an outfit of scandals, tan capris and a white long-sleeved shirt over her light blue bikini top would be best since she knew it would get warmer later. Her sunglasses stayed on, too, since there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Thankfully, there were a couple empty chairs near the front door of the beach house so she didn't have to go far. She sat down and placed her book on the other chair as she got situated. As she looked around she noticed there were plenty of people around but the area was open enough that she could easily be off on her own. That fact alone made her smile as she placed her things next to the chair she sat in and reached out to pick up her book.

As she began to read she wondered why she hadn't done anything like this before. She had always thought she didn't have the time but she had even thought that when she booked this resort. Of course, up until a couple of years ago she would have never been able to afford a place like this but the combination of her thrifty nature and her new job made it possible now.

"Is this seat taken?"

Lauren closed her eyes behind her glasses and let out a sigh. She put her book down and looked up at the woman who had asked her the question, wanting to politely tell her that she wanted to be left alone but stopped short. Instead, she was taken aback by how beautiful the other woman was. Her dark brown hair was pulled back and she wore minimal makeup, sunglasses hiding part of her face. As Lauren let her eyes travel lower, thankful she had her own sunglasses on, she took in her body, the black bikini top and towel she had draped around her waist accentuated her curves.

It didn't even occur to her that she hadn't spoken yet until the woman said something again. "Please? I tried getting a little sun by the pool but a couple of guys wouldn't let it go. I should have never said I was alone." She paused. "Look, just until whoever you're with comes back."

"I'm not with anyone either," Lauren said, finally finding her voice. "So no one's sitting there."

"So, can I?"

Lauren thought about it for a moment before gesturing for her to sit down. The woman smiled and sat down, pushing her sunglasses off her face to sit atop her head. "Thanks. My name's Bo, by the way."

Bo extended her hand and Lauren shook it lightly. "Lauren."

"Relieved to meet you," she said, dazzling Lauren with her smile. "Do not go to the pool and try to get a moment to yourself. It won't happen. I saw a couple big families at breakfast and I bet they'll be at the pool soon."

"I didn't really come here for that."

Bo smiled and put her sunglasses back on before leaning back and looking as though she was about to take a nap. Lauren observed her for a couple more seconds before going back to her book. That was something she was only able to do for a few minutes before the mere presence of Bo was distracting. She hadn't been near someone so attractive in a long time.

When she was working that was something she never noticed. Lauren had a one track mind at the hospital, always preoccupied with the science around her. She didn't take note if a coworker or patient was attractive because that wasn't what she was there to observe. Instead, she only wanted to cure people, help them in any way she could. Her personal wants or feelings stayed separate, something not shown to anyone at the hospital.

Being around this new woman, Bo, brought up feelings Lauren hadn't had in a long time. Since moving, she hadn't even thought about going on a date, much less had been on one. Now that she didn't have work on her mind the fact that she hadn't had sex in over a year was definitely something she was thinking about.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Lauren looked up from her book and turned her head to Bo. "What?"

"Why are you here by yourself?"

"I could ask you the same question," Lauren responded with, not knowing if she should start having a conversation with a woman she didn't know, no matter how attracted she was to her.

"I'm here because I won what was supposed to be an exciting Christmas trip but when I went to tell my boyfriend I found him fucking one of his coworkers. He thought we could use this trip to reconnect because oddly enough I wasn't speaking to him. I told him to go fuck himself and that I was going alone." She let out a breath. "Which is why I'm spending the next few days in a nice room at the main resort building. What about you?"

"I work too much," Lauren started with. "I never go on vacation either. But I recently moved to a new city where I don't know anyone and I don't have anyone to spend Christmas with. Someone suggested I go someplace nice for the holiday. Get a little sun and relax. I guess I can be a little uptight."

Bo smiled and Lauren felt her heart begin to race slightly. "I don't see you as being uptight."

Lauren get out a quiet chuckle. "No offense but you don't even know me."

"No, I have a good sense about reading people. I bet you can be a lot of fun." She sat up a little and turned her full attention to Lauren. "How about we get a drink?"

"I didn't exactly come here to socialize," Lauren said, torn on getting a drink with the beautiful woman or kindly tell her that she just wanted to be left alone with her book.

"I'm not asking you to go on one of those tours with all those people who want to learn something while they're on vacation. I'm just asking of you want to take a break from sitting here to go sit in the bar and grab one of those fruity concoctions that are in the pictures of the brochures."

"I've never really been a fan of those," Lauren claimed, "and learning while on vacation can be fun. It can add a little excitement to know you're at a place where great things once happened."

Bo grinned at the comment. "That's kind of adorable." She let out a quiet chuckle. "I think that meeting you is going to be a highlight of my vacation. Now let's get that drink."

Lauren thought about it for a minute and came up with something better, especially given she had zero interest in going to the resort bar. "I have a better idea."

* * *

"Lauren, you have to tell me what you do." Bo looked around as they sat in the small living room of the beach house. "The only reason I'm here is because I won it in a contest. I could never afford to actually stay here much less have a whole beach house to myself."

Lauren took a sip from the bottle of Corona and considered the question before deciding to ask one of her own. "What do you do?"

"Lots of things," Bo said vaguely. "Right now I work in private security but I would like to do something else."

"Like what?"

"Anything else really," Bo said as she grabbed her own bottle off the coffee table. "What I do right now is so boring. Nice try trying to avoid the question."

"I'm not avoiding the question," Lauren claimed but knew she was in a way. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about herself. She just wasn't used to it. "I'm a doctor."

"That explains it."

"Explains what?"

"How you can afford this place," Bo waved her arm to gesture to the room, "and how you come across as caring and well, nice. Like you could never intentionally hurt someone."

"I'm sure I could name a couple people who would disagree with you," Lauren said quietly. She was having a hard time looking into Bo's eyes. They were so expressive that she thought she might get lost in them and that couldn't happen. She barely knew the woman and she wanted to keep her guard up even if Bo seemed to cause no threat.

"Broken hearts, huh? I get it."

Lauren laughed and finished her Corona. "I see you as more of a breaker of hearts than me."

"I'm not sure if I should be offended or not," Bo said as she laughed.

"Oh, it's a compliment." Lauren looked at the clock on the wall and realized they had been talking for a couple hours and it was well past noon. "Um, are you hungry? I'm not sure what you were going to do for lunch but . . ."

"I have a couple vouchers up in my room," Bo said easily. "The food isn't that bad." She paused before looking at Lauren with a sweet expression on her face. "Would you like to join me?"

"Actually, I was thinking if you didn't mind me cooking that I could make something here. I bought some food after I checked in yesterday since there's a kitchen and I didn't really want to socialize." She smiled nervously, feeling like she was asking Bo out on a lunch date even though that didn't fit the situation at all. "I could always make enough for two."

Bo grinned and moved a little closer to Lauren on the couch. "Are we talking a five course meal or making an extra peanut butter sandwich?"

"Well, I do make a mean peanut butter sandwich," Lauren commented as she let a smirk show, "but I was thinking more like tacos. Or I can put together a salad?"

"That'd be great."

Lauren smiled as she looked at Bo, her heart skipping a beat in the process, something she had never thought had happened to her before. She knew how the heart worked and she was always of the opinion that looking at someone really had no effect on it. That seemed to change now because of how Bo was looking at her right now, like someone who was attracted and interested in her.

She stood and walked over to the kitchen, looking over the contents and trying to not think about Bo in any other way than as a possible friend. The other woman could make her vacation a little less lonely.

"She had a boyfriend," she mumbled to herself as she started pull items out of the fridge.

* * *

Lauren couldn't believe Bo had been hanging out at her beach house the entire day. But she had and showed no signs of leaving. The sun was low in the sky and Lauren began to think about what she would be making for dinner. At this point is automatically assumed Bo would be staying.

She had enjoyed the other woman's company for the day and Lauren couldn't believe how much she had missed someone being genuinely interested in what she had to say. She was sure Bo was, too. She kept asking her questions and telling little stories that added on to what Lauren was saying. Bo even shared her own stories about some of the random jobs she had and why she hated them all. There was a story or two about her past boyfriend, too, but all of them were why she broke up with them.

"So what about you?" Bo asked as she sat on the couch, turning her body to make sure she faced Lauren as she sat next to her. "No special someone?"

"There were a couple that kind of bit me in the ass," Lauren said quietly. "Once I was done with med school and working all the time it became impossible to really date anyone."

"What, no shenanigans in the on call rooms?"

"Not with me," Lauren said as she smiled at Bo. They had drank all of Lauren's booze and she was definitely feeling the buzz. "When I'm at the hospital all I want to do is help people. I really didn't think about sneaking off to get off while one of my patients could be dying."

Bo reached out and placed a hand on Lauren's shoulder before letting her fingers run down her arm. "You really are a good person, Lauren."

Lauren smiled for a second before feeling her body begin to freeze as Bo inched closer to her. She felt an insane attraction to the other woman and it had only grown throughout the day. If she weren't normally so bad at reading signals she would be sure that the feeling was mutual.

"Bo . . ."

"Just let me try something," Bo mumbled before leaning in and lightly pressing her lips against Lauren's.

Her lips were so soft that Lauren had no choice but to respond. Her eyes automatically closed and she leaned toward Bo, wanting to get as close as possible without embracing her. She wasn't quite sure what was going on but she knew that she was happy Bo had taken a step she knew she would never have the guts to take. Lauren knew she would have never been that forward or take that kind of chance.

It was only a few seconds before they parted and Lauren opened her eyes to see Bo looking at her expectantly. "I'm sorry. I just had to try it."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure," Bo said quietly. "It's just, you're so amazing and I feel so connected to you. Do you feel it, too? 'Cause I sure just felt something when I kissed you."

Lauren looked at Bo and knew she felt the attraction, too. There was a part of her that told her to back off, that this was destined for failure because in a few days she would be going back to her real life, but the rest of her wanted Bo in the worst way. Her body was on fire from the kiss and she wanted to do it again so she leaned in and lightly kissed Bo on the lips.

"I'm definitely feeling something."

Bo gave her a toothy grin as moved away from each other, something that made Lauren go a little weak at the knees. "I know there's a logical part of you that's saying nothing good will come from that kiss we just shared. What I'm asking is that you ignore it. I really want you to be the highlight of this vacation, Lauren."

Even without going any further Lauren knew that meeting Bo would be the highlight of her vacation. It had been a long time since she had let her guard down and was able to be herself completely with someone. She hadn't met anyone where she now lived yet and before that there were only a couple people who could claim they knew what Lauren Lewis was like when she wasn't shy and professional. Though she wasn't sure why she let Bo in so easily, she had and there was no going back from that.

There was one thought that stuck in her head, something she knew she had to ask about. "Bo . . . have you ever . . ."

For the first time Lauren thought Bo might look a little nervous as she shook her head lightly. "I've thought about it once or twice but seeing you today, Lauren . . . while I don't have experience in that area I know my body and I really want to get to know yours."

Lauren laughed quietly at the comment. There was a small voice in her head telling her that she would regret this when it was time to leave the resort and leave Bo behind but the rest of her was screaming to get Bo naked and fast. It was her chance to do something unlike her and throw caution to the wind, something her friends had been telling her to do for years.

She closed the short distance between her and Bo, placing her hands lightly on her arms. As she looked into the other woman's eyes, she knew this was the right choice. At the moment, it even felt like the only choice. "I'd really like that."

Just like that Bo was kissing her again but this time it was less tentative and more intense. Lauren wrapped her arms around Bo's waist while she felt Bo's hands cup her face then inch their way down. The kiss escalated quickly, Lauren deepening at first chance, and the next thought in her head was that they should move toward the bedroom. Bo's hands were gaining confidence since after only a minute or two of kissing they were roaming her body freely.

She had said she wanted to get to know Lauren's body and as she let her own hands move along Bo's back, she knew she wanted the same with her.

They broke apart and Lauren quickly found the confidence she felt she had been missing lately when it came to sex. She took Bo's hand and grinned. "The bed in this place is amazing."

Bo's grin matched Lauren's at the remark. "Really?"

"Yep."

"Well, then I think you better show me so I can judge if it's better than the one in my room."

Lauren didn't respond, only lend Bo back to the bedroom.

* * *

Her vacation just flew by and Lauren supposed that was a good thing, especially with how much fun she had been having.

Lauren had made many discoveries but the first and most important was that Bo was a fantastic lover. Even though she didn't have experience with the fairer sex, it didn't really show. Lauren let her take her time and explore her body like she wanted and by the end of their first time together Lauren saw stars.

The whole first night was filled with cries of pleasure and Lauren finding out all of Bo's spots, the ones that made her scream out her name. Bo even found a few on Lauren's body that she wasn't aware of and that only proved that the other woman was more than just a quick study. By the time they succumbed to sleep Lauren was exhausted but very satisfied.

She half expected Bo to be gone in the morning but Lauren woke up to Bo smiling at her happily, asking her what she wanted for breakfast and if she wanted to join her in the shower. The answer was yes, of course, and that led to a day of clothing optional activities. It had been a long time since Lauren spent a day either eating, sleeping or having sex but it was something she realized she missed.

On Christmas morning instead of exchanging gifts they exchanged orgasms. That's how Bo wanted to describe it anyway and Lauren had to agree. It was a really good orgasm, too.

The sad part came as Lauren woke up to her last day at the resort. Bo had practically moved into the beach house so just like the last few days she woke up to the other woman smiling at her, her hand moving over her body lightly. She leaned in and gave Lauren a soft kiss on the lips, only letting it last a few seconds before moving away.

"I don't know how I'm always awake before you. You said you were an early riser."

"Well, someone has been exhausting me so I need a little extra sleep. And maybe a little extra energy. We should get brunch at the resort restaurant."

Bo smiled and rested her head on a pillow next to Lauren's. "We're out of food, aren't we?"

Lauren nodded. "And my flight is this afternoon."

It felt like a bubble burst the moment she said it but it had to be done. She couldn't extend her vacation since she was due back at the hospital 36 hours after her flight landed. It wasn't like she was going to drop her life for someone she just met. Both of them had been vague on where they lived almost to make it so they couldn't get attached.

This was only supposed to be a fun vacation fling but it was turning into something else. Lauren didn't know what to make of it. When she invited Bo into her bed she made herself a silent promise that it would simply be a fun few days. Now thoughts of breaking that promise filled her mind.

Bo's hand cupped her cheek and they looked at each other. "We still have a few hours, right? Let's shower and get you packed up and ready to go."

"Yeah," was all Lauren could think to say. She sat up and got out of bed, pulling Bo with her toward the bathroom so she could have one last really fun shower.

Goodbyes were horrible.

They got Lauren all packed up into her rental car then checked out of the beach house. Bo finally used the vouchers she had received with her free trip and they had a quiet brunch at the resort's restaurant. The conversation was filled with Bo wondering what she was going to do on her last day at the resort and if she should dare try one of the activities before she left.

"I bet it would be fun," Lauren said as they walked toward her car. She was trying to avoid the goodbye she knew was coming but the sinking feeling she had was getting worse and it wasn't going away.

"I am not going on an adventure tour, especially not with a bunch of elderly couples that will want my life story," Bo said. "Maybe I'll just stay in my room and read a book."

They reached the car much too soon and Lauren stopped, turning her body to face Bo. "I don't even know your last name."

Bo smiled sadly. "I thought we weren't going to do this. Weren't we just going to have some fun? Which I totally did, by the way."

Lauren laughed. "I did, too."

They looked at each other for what felt like an eternity to Lauren before Bo pulled her into a tight hug. Lauren willed herself not to cry and didn't like that she was having such a reaction from someone she only met a few days ago.

"If we are supposed to see each other again, we will," Bo said quietly. "But you have your own important life that you have to get back to and I have my own, too." She leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. "You'll just have to start taking more vacations. Maybe not expensive ones though."

Lauren kissed her back and let out a quiet laugh. "I'll keep that in mind." She paused as she stared into Bo's beautiful, brown eyes. "This was the best vacation I've ever had."

"Hell, this is the best Christmas I've ever had. I got a fantastic gift."

"I am a great gift-giver," Lauren said as she continued to laugh. She moved away from Bo, forcing herself to do so in order to make sure she had plenty of time to make her flight. "My name is Lauren Lewis."

Bo grinned. "Bo Dennis." She stopped Lauren from moving too far, pulling her back in order to give her one last, heart-stopping kiss. When she pulled away, she was still grinning. "I hope I see you again."

"I do, too."

* * *

 **A/N: thanks for reading and please let me know what you think. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** this was meant to get posted sooner and I've so sorry to everyone and especially my high bidder for the wait. To answer some questions I received, this is a multi-chapter story, five chapters for sure but maybe six if I think it needs an epilogue. I'm going to try very hard to get another chapter out by the end of next week.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lost Girl.

Chapter Two

* * *

 _10 months later_

Lauren let out a quiet sigh as she exited the airport. She knew that she didn't have seniority at the hospital to get out of certain medical conferences but she really wasn't in the mood. All the speakers were dry, boring and presenting topics that she already knew all about. It would be all she could do to not fall asleep during the presentations.

When she had tried to get out of attending her boss had first offered to see if he could get her to be one of the presenters instead but she shut that down fast. Lauren liked to be overly prepared for presentations and it was too short of notice. There was also the fact that she didn't want to be at the conference in the first place so she knew if she had to speak she wouldn't do it justice.

Denver just wasn't where she wanted to be. She wanted to bury herself in her work and not think about anything else. Being dedicated to her profession and helping as many people as possible was what she concentrated on since her last vacation.

The hospital made her forget about Bo, plain and simple. When she was helping people, making them better and fixing what needed to be fixed, she didn't think about those few amazing days with Bo. She would forget about how it felt when the other woman held her or how amazing the sex was. Working made her forget how easy it was for Bo to get her to laugh or even smile.

It was stupid not to get her phone number or where she lived. Even if it was just a vacation fling there were nights that Lauren knew she would have felt better just to hear Bo's voice. Two months after she got back from the Keys she had lost someone in surgery, even after saving the young man twice on the way to the OR. It had been a particularly devastating loss, especially when the man's mother sobbed on her shoulder. All she wanted when she got home was to have someone tell her a story, simply talk to her and make her forget the day.

She wanted to hear Bo.

That wasn't going to happen though so she buried herself in work, which was partially why she was at the conference in Denver. Lauren had started doing a little research in her off time, a way to occupy her mind when she wasn't seeing patients, and her boss saw that as a way for her to represent the hospital at some conferences throughout North America. It was a way to put their hospital in Toronto "on the map", in his words. He told her to treat it like a vacation but now that she'd had a real one Lauren couldn't do what he asked.

"Dr. Lewis?"

Lauren turned her head and looked at a woman, likely in her twenties, holding a sign with her name on it. "Yes?"

"I'm here to take you to the hotel," she said as she smiled. "I'm the person the conference assigned you to for the weekend. My name's Jessie."

"I assure you I don't need any of that," Lauren said as she shook Jessie's hand then started to walk with her. "I'm not even a speaker this weekend."

"Yes, but Dr. Benton, our keynote speaker, heard about your surgical techniques and would like to discuss them. I guess there was some discussion on if you might even take the stage during the keynote address."

It was a horrifying offer, especially since she wasn't prepared. "I don't think that's going to happen, especially since I don't have any materials available."

Jessie smiled. "Well, don't be surprised if you get the offer."

Lauren let out a small sigh. She had hoped that she would be able to simply sit in the back and listen to the speakers, maybe learn a little or find a better way to adjust what she was doing. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself, not when she wasn't prepared for it. She made a mental note to call her boss and find out if this was his doing.

She smiled as best she could at Jessie. "Let's go then."

* * *

After checking into her room Lauren thought it would be a good idea to walk through the main hotel area, see where the rooms were and to check out the size of the crowd. She figured there were at least a couple hundred doctors at the hotel and she could already pinpoint some of the ones who were the most egotistical. It was the main reason she wasn't a fan of conferences like the one she was sent to. Some doctors saw it simply as a way to toot their own horn and to get some attractive woman at the hotel bar to go upstairs with them.

Lauren thought that sometimes it was more about the women than the recognition.

Since the conference was hosting complimentary drinks in the lounge area the actual hotel bar only had a few patrons drinking, most of them alone. The only bartender present was a man, who was looking at the TV above the bar, more interested in the baseball game than on the people there. Lauren didn't mind though, only walked up to the bar and sat on a stool.

It took a couple minutes but the bartender eventually noticed he had another customer and turned to Lauren, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry, I got some money on the game. Are you here with the conference?"

Lauren nodded. "Yes, I am."

"You might want to get a drink out there. Everything in the lounge is free but you have to pay for a drink here. But between you and me, the booze in the lounge is watered down. The same conference was here last year and all those doctors can really drink. We had to be prepared so we wouldn't run out. Don't want to anger anyone, you know?"

"I bet," Lauren commented as she let out a quiet chuckle. "I'll take my chances in here. Can I just get whatever you have on tap?"

He smiled and gave her a nod before getting her drink and leaving her alone. Lauren left some money on the bar and took a sip, realizing she was grateful for the silence. She knew the next two days would be all about procedures and discussions on what techniques were the best. There would be boring yet heated arguments on who was right and Lauren didn't have the time for any pissing contests. It was bad enough when she saw it at the hospital, she really didn't want to experience it here.

Instead, she was content to sit at the bar and sip her beer, her eyes focused on the baseball game on TV even though she had no interest in it. She could hear parts of some of the conversations and knew right away she was better off in the bar. Even the tame ones were about their families and kids and that was something she couldn't relate to. It would be another smile and nod conversation where she would be counting the minutes before she would be able to excuse herself. Though she preferred those conversations to ones about how great they were, she didn't have the patience for it today.

It wasn't that Lauren was antisocial; it was simply that she wasn't interested in making friends with people she might only see once or twice a year. Lauren wasn't looking to change hospitals or make a career move so any conversation she would have was only for the purpose of being nice. And she could be nice in the morning.

Besides, the last time she opened up to meeting another person when she was away from home she met Bo. While that had been an amazing experience, she didn't need to seek that out again. There wasn't another Bo out there.

"Hey, Teddy, can you cover for me out there? I need a break from getting hit on."

Lauren tore her eyes from the TV to the woman to just spoke, fearing that her mind was letting her imagine the impossible. To her hope and utter shock, it wasn't.

"Sure thing, Bo. Let me know how the game turns out."

"No problem."

The other bartender walked away and Lauren took a few moments to simply look at Bo. Her hair was a little longer, maybe even a little darker, and had she had on more makeup than she did at the beach but all it did was enhance her beauty. The heavy eyeliner made her dark brown eyes so expressive and her lipstick made her smile shine. At least, it did to Lauren but she could have sworn there was a halo over her head as well.

"Bo?"

She turned at the sound of Lauren voice and Lauren was impressed and even a little relieved that her presence had much the same effect as it did to her. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened as she looked at her. Lauren attempted to smile but she was nervous. So much could have changed in 10 months.

Bo took a couple steps and stopped in front of Lauren, the bar separating them. "If I fell asleep at work I'm going to be in so much trouble but I think it'll be worth it."

"Then it's a shared dream, Bo." Lauren smiled as she looked into Bo's eyes, unable to look away. She was even afraid to blink in case Bo disappeared.

"Would it be too much if I jumped over the bar just to put my arms around you?"

"I wouldn't object."

Bo let out a quiet chuckle and walked around the bar in order to wrap her arms around Lauren, enveloping her into a tight hug. Lauren closed her eyes as her moved her arms around Bo as well and let her body relax into Bo's embrace. Once she did, she was pretty sure she never wanted to be out of Bo's embrace for a very long time. The one person she had thought about consistently for the last 10 months was actually in the same place as her. It felt like she had the best luck ever.

When they finally separated, Lauren knew her smile matched the one she saw on Bo's face. "Bo, how are you here?"

"I work here," Bo answered as her lips formed a clever smirk.

"Very funny."

Bo let out a quiet laugh. "I've been in Denver for about three months. I started bartending about two months ago."

"But I thought you worked in private security," Lauren said as she kept her hands on Bo, wanting to make sure she was still there and not a very vivid hallucination. "You never said you were a bartender."

"It's one of my many, many skills," Bo responded and moved them so Lauren could sit back down on the stool. "This is something that's easy to fall back on if I need to find a job fast. Managers have a weakness for a hot woman who knows how to mix a drink."

Lauren laughed. "I bet." She nodded her head toward the lounge. "Is that why you were out there with all the doctors?"

"Probably. I was getting excellent tips but I'm not thrilled with the amount of room keys I've been offered. At least no one's gotten handsy."

Taking hold of Bo's hand, Lauren rubbed her thumb against it. "So I guess I shouldn't offer you my room key."

"You are the exception to the rule, doctor." Bo looked out into the lounge then back at her. "So you're attending the conference this weekend? Why aren't you out there with the rest of your colleagues?"

"I kind of got persuaded to attend by my chief of surgery," Lauren explained. "I've been doing a little research on recovery times and he wanted me to speak here. We negotiated it down to only having me attend but I'm supposed to meet with one of the speakers later. The person who picked me up at the airport even mentioned they might want to call me up to the stage at some point this weekend."

"Later as in later tonight?"

Lauren knew what Bo was thinking and she had to admit she probably would have thought the same. While she knew that Bo had been single when they had initially met, she didn't know if that was the case now and she knew she had no right to be jealous if she wasn't. What they had had been a fling and it wasn't supposed to be anything more. She hoped Bo thought the same even though Lauren hadn't even thought about anyone else since Bo appeared in her life. She just knew that she couldn't blame Bo if she had moved on.

"Later as in he would like to speak with me after his speech tomorrow," Lauren said and enjoyed that the response made Bo smile. "Tonight is more of a meet and greet, hence the free liquor in the lounge."

Bo suddenly looked a little nervous and Lauren wondered why. She figured by her initial response to the sight of her that she had to know she wanted to see more of her. "I can't get out of here until one in the morning. Is that too late . . . I really want to see you."

"I'll wait up for you."

"Are you sure? I know everything starts up pretty early. I don't want to be responsible for you not doing what you were supposed to." Bo looked down, her eyes looking away from Lauren and toward the ground. "I don't want to get in the way."

Lauren took a chance and leaned into to Bo, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. "Don't ever think that." She took a step back and smiled at her. "I'm going to go up, review some papers and maybe get a little nap in. When you're done, I'm in room 814."

The look on Bo's face was all the confirmation Lauren needed to know she was right to make the offer. "I'll be there, Lauren."

Giving Bo one last wink, Lauren walked out of the bar and made her way back toward the lounge. She figured she might as well make an appearance before going back to her room and waiting for the woman that had been plaguing her dreams.

* * *

A knock on her door jolted Lauren awake. She looked around the room quickly, noticing she had fallen asleep with the lamp by the bed on as well as the TV.

Lauren had meant to read through a couple journals she brought with and then watch a movie on TV but she only got halfway through the first journal before she began to drift off. The early morning flight combined with the excitement of seeing Bo had been borderline exhausting and there was no use in fighting off sleep.

She jumped off the bed and gave herself a once over in the mirror to make sure she didn't drool on herself and that she didn't have a severe case of bedhead. Once she was somewhat satisfied she moved to the door, not even bothering to see who it was. It wasn't necessary since she opened the door to find Bo on the other side with a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other.

"Hey," she greeted Lauren quietly, "I thought I would bring up something with me since I didn't see that you stayed in the lounge for very long."

"You didn't have to but thank you," Lauren said as she stepped aside to let Bo in. "I didn't hear any conversations worth joining so I just went back to the room. I think I fell asleep for a while but I'm very happy to be awake now."

"Sweet talker."

Lauren moved to close the door as Bo set the glasses and bottle on the small table by the door. As soon as she clicked the lock on the door she felt Bo's hand on her arm, pulling her body toward her. In a couple seconds she found herself in Bo's embrace, being kissed passionately. It was all she could do to respond, moving her arms around the other woman.

It felt so natural to kiss Bo and all the thoughts she'd had before on what Bo had done in the last ten months, who she'd been with and if there had been anyone who'd touched her the way Lauren longed to do, none of that mattered. All that mattered was that she was kissing her and they had some time together, even if it was just for the night.

"I think I almost forgot what an amazing kisser you are," Bo said quietly as they broke away. "I feel so lucky right now."

"Now who's the sweet talker?"

They both let out quiet laughs as they sat down on the bed. Lauren looked over Bo and smiled as she shook her head. "I still can't believe you're with me right now."

"Me neither."

Lauren opened her mouth to ask a question but stopped short. They'd kept things fairly casual over Christmas and didn't delve into each other's lives much. Not in order to share stories with a deeper meaning anyway. Lauren didn't know Bo's life story. She could even have been from Denver and Lauren would have never really known.

There was also a part of her that thought maybe Bo made a lot of what she told her up. It wasn't like Lauren was going to double-check her story in between all the sex they'd had and since they had agreed not to pursue anything after, she didn't need to check up on her. Sure, she knew that her name was Bo Dennis but that didn't necessarily mean that the name was real or that Bo wasn't short for something else. Though it seemed amazing to her now, she never once put Bo's name into a search engine to see if she could find her. The negatives of what she could find stopped her every time.

"What do you want to ask me, Lauren?"

"So many things," Lauren admitted. "I'd be lying if I wasn't tempted to look you up after I left." She lazily ran a hand down Bo's arm. "How was that last day?"

"Stayed in my room," Bo answered quietly and Lauren tried to read the look on her face. She thought it might be sadness and maybe a little regret but it was all too vague. "Caught up on sleep since I didn't get much of it during most of my vacation."

Lauren laughed. "And here I remember coming home from that vacation a little exhausted."

"That's a good thing." Bo leaned in and lightly pressed her lips against Lauren's. "Maybe I should exhaust you a little for tomorrow."

"That is an amazing idea," Lauren practically whispered before kissing Bo again.

They kept it soft and gentle, something Lauren wasn't expecting. She had always thought if she ever saw Bo again and had the opportunity to do all the things her genius brain had been imagining over the last 10 months it wouldn't be slow. The start of it would at least be a little rushed, or it was in every scenario she had thought of.

They kissed until the need for air became too great to ignore and then Bo began to place kisses down her neck before sucking on her pulse point. She didn't stay there too long though, maybe because she didn't want to give Lauren a mark that other doctors would notice in the morning. At this point Lauren didn't care. All she did was let out a quiet sigh as Bo's hands moved under her shirt.

"All of these clothes need to be gone," Bo mumbled as she stood and pulled Lauren up with her. Their hands made quick work of each other's clothes, not stopping until they were completely naked.

Soon they were on the bed and Lauren was trying hard to get the upper hand, something that was a tough task with Bo. The woman was very persistent in trying to get the one up on Lauren and based on past experience she often succeeded. The memory of Bo fully exploring her body again and again was something Lauren hoped she never forgot.

Bo ended up getting the best of her yet again, not that Lauren minded much. She wrapped her arms around Bo and pressed her against her body, letting her rest on top of her. Her hands moved over Bo's back as they kissed slowly but with purpose. It felt as though the other woman was trying to rediscover everything they discovered about each other all those months ago. The feel of her skin against hers was amazing. The fact that they were going slow only enhanced the feeling.

Their kissing slowed even more to the point where they traded slow, lazy kisses while Lauren kept her hands moving over Bo's body. When she looked into Bo's eyes in between kisses, she could see how much she was wanted.

"Bo, you are so beautiful," Lauren said as she used one hand to caress her cheek. "I've really missed you."

Something flashed against Bo's features for a second and Lauren thought maybe that wasn't what Bo wanted to hear. They weren't supposed to be anything and admitting that she missed her was almost saying that she wanted more. She didn't want to scare her away. She wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.

Bo placed soft kisses on her chin and cheek until she rested her forehead against hers. "I think it's easier to show you how much I missed you."

She kissed her lips again before making her way down her body. The sensation Lauren felt was amazing, especially when Bo began to kiss over her chest. It felt like she wasn't going to leave an inch of Lauren's skin untouched by her lips as she placed kisses everywhere then moved to lick and suck on her nipples. Soon she was letting out quiet moans and reached out to touch any part of Bo she could.

Lauren could feel that she was getting more wet by the second and as much as she loved the teasing that Bo was becoming a master of as she kissed and licked her stomach, she wanted her to speed up just a little. "Bo, I need you . . ."

"Mmm, getting there."

Bo kept up with the teasing for another couple minutes before Lauren felt her tongue against her clit. She let out a low moan and arched her body into Bo, who responded by placing her hands on her hips and keeping her in place. Lauren had almost forgotten how it felt to have Bo's mouth on her but it was too good for words.

In the back of her mind, Lauren wondered what would happen when they had exhausted each other but soon that thought was nowhere near her head as Bo slid two fingers inside her and started a steady pace. The action caused her to cry out and move her body along with the pace of Bo's fingers. It was almost too much.

It only took a couple minutes before Lauren cried out and came all over Bo's hand. Bo let her ride out her orgasm before removing her fingers and moving to lie next to Lauren. They looked at each other for a moment before Lauren leaned in and gave her a soft kiss.

"I think it might be time for a little payback."

Bo smirked at her. "Do your worst."

Lauren grinned as she pushed Bo onto her back and hovered over her. She lightly brushed her lips against Bo's before beginning to kiss down her neck, remembering that her pulse point was a place the needed extra attention. While her lips and tongue became reacquainted with Bo's neck she used a hand to map out her body once again. Her skin was so smooth and soft, Lauren wanted to kiss every inch of it.

She kissed over her chest, taking her time with her breasts. It was Lauren's opinion that Bo had the most glorious breasts she'd ever seen and she wanted to worship them in the way they deserved. She sucked and playfully bit at her nipples before moving down to her flat stomach, showering it with kisses. At that point she felt Bo begin to pull at her arms. Lauren resisted for a moment, wanting to continue to worship her body, but gave in after a couple minutes.

Moving back up her body, Lauren kissed Bo's lips softly. "Do you have a problem with me kissing and licking every inch of your body?"

Bo let out a quiet laugh. "As much as I love the teasing there are other things I need from you."

Lauren smiled and decided against continuing to tease Bo, as fun as it might be for her. Instead, she looked into her eyes as she slid two fingers swiftly into the other woman. She watched as Bo closed her eyes and moaned out loudly, her hands gripping her back tightly as her body arched into her. The sight was breathtaking and Lauren couldn't stop herself from kissing her, nor did she want to.

The feel of Bo's body reacting to the pace her fingers set made Lauren feel more alive than she had in since the last time she saw Bo. No one had ever made her feel that way before, none of her girlfriends or casual lovers. Sure, most of the time the sex was good and the dates weren't completely horrible but it was nothing compared what she was experiencing with Bo. It felt like she never truly experienced sex before she met her.

"That feels amazing," Bo moaned out as Lauren picked up the pace and began placing kisses along her neck. "I'm so close."

Hearing that, Lauren did everything she could to make Bo come hard and when Bo cried out, she hoped she accomplished her goal. Soon she removed her fingers from her and kissed her with everything she had.

* * *

After a couple more rounds, Lauren and Bo cuddled together on the bed, sipping their wine and watching a movie. There were so many questions Lauren wanted to ask Bo, personal questions that hovered around whether or not she would be interested in visiting Toronto, but she didn't know if that was out of the boundaries Bo seemed to want to set.

"I am going to be so tired when the conference begins in a few hours," Lauren commented quietly while turning her head to look at Bo.

"Do you have any regrets?" Bo asked as she met Lauren's eyes, a hint of a smile gracing her lips.

"Hell, no."

They laughed and Bo turned her attention back to the movie while Lauren continued to look at her, wondering which question she wanted to ask first. After a couple minutes, she decided on one. "Where were you before Denver?"

"Here and there," Bo said without looking at Lauren. "I don't have family so I like traveling around. Before Denver I was living in Phoenix."

"So . . . uh, have you been seeing anyone?"

Bo chuckled quietly and looked at Lauren with a raised eyebrow. "Lauren, if I was dating someone I wouldn't be in bed with you right now. I've never been nor will I ever be one of those women."

"Fair enough."

"And you?"

"There isn't anyone," Lauren answered and felt relief that Bo was single. She kept telling herself that this situation wasn't serious. It was a happy coincidence that she had run into Bo again and that she should be grateful for the small amount of time she could spend with her. "I don't have much time to date. I practically live at the hospital."

"Well, I'm happy you're taking the time to live a little with me right now, doctor." Bo ran a finger lightly down Lauren's arm. "This is the most fun I've had in a while."

"I aim to please," Lauren said jokingly.

They were silent for a few minutes and Lauren wondered what else to ask. They had covered all the light and non-complicated topics when they spent those few days together in the Keys. Each of them had shared funny family stories and vague recollections of their childhoods. Lauren knew that Bo hated peas and loved chocolate covered pretzels and she had told Bo about the joy she felt when she had found an all-night café near the hospital that served the best chocolate shakes. She had admitted it was her one weakness in her normal healthy diet.

She thought about asking her more about jobs, exactly why she chose to move to Denver. Maybe even ask about relationships. They had vaguely covered that but part of Lauren wanted to know details. She wanted to know where she lived in the city, if it was a safe area. Hell, she wanted her phone number so this wouldn't be the last she saw or heard from her.

Lauren didn't ask any of that because Bo turned to her and smiled before she could. "You know, sex is really supposed to relax you but I keep feeling you tense up." She leaned in and place a couple light kisses on her neck. "Maybe I need to try to _relax_ you a little more."

"Maybe," Lauren said as she closed her eyes at the feel of Bo's lips against her skin. "Maybe I just need to drink a little more wine with the incredibly beautiful woman in my bed."

Bo moved her lips up to Lauren's ear and kissed it softly. "Such a sweet talker."

"Only being truthful."

Lauren turned her head just enough toward Bo in order to look into her eyes before kissing her. She kept it light and almost playful, knowing that exhaustion would cause her to fall asleep soon. It was almost embarrassing that she couldn't go another round but she wanted Bo to stay more than anything.

She closed her eyes as they mutually broke the kiss and did her best to keep her arms around Bo. "Be here in the morning, okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

"Lo, babe . . . wake up."

Lauren mumbled a little as she tried to become aware of her surroundings and who was using a nickname for her. Her mother had called her that as she was growing up and a couple friends in college as well but no one else had in years. Then she remembered where she was and who she was with and when she opened her eyes she saw Bo smiling down at her.

"Good morning," Lauren said tiredly.

Bo leaned down and kissed her on the lips. "You've got about an hour before the conference starts. I checked before I came up here last night and there'll be breakfast down there before the first speaker."

"Bad coffee and stale donuts?"

"More like fruit and croissants," Bo said as she laughed quietly. "This is a medical conference after all."

Lauren sat up and realized that Bo was already dressed, making her frown slightly. That action made it seem like she would be leaving soon and Lauren wished that she would stay longer. "You're already dressed. Do you have to leave?"

Bo sat down and nodded. "I should probably go home and get some actual sleep. You had the benefit of a nap before I got up here last night but I didn't."

"Are you complaining about everything we did last night?"

"Never," Bo answered quickly. "Last night was amazing. I'm insanely happy our paths crossed."

Lauren blinked a few times in an attempt to wake up and observed Bo for a moment, thinking that maybe something might be off but she wasn't sure. She was still a little tired but she knew Bo was right and she probably needed to get up. There was probably a good chance that if she was even a few minutes late that the handler who picked her up would probably be knocking on her door.

She stood up and smiled as she noticed Bo's eyes roaming her naked body. "I was hoping we'd make good use of the shower this morning."

"Raincheck," Bo said as she grinned. She reached out and hugged Lauren tightly. "See you soon."

"See you soon."

They kissed again before Bo took a step back and gave Lauren a wink before walking out of the motel room, shutting the door behind her. Lauren looked at the door for a minute, thinking about the luck she had in order to see Bo again, before walking into the bathroom and turning on the shower. She took a quick shower and tried her best to make herself the presentable doctor she needed to be for the conference.

The entire time all she could think about was Bo. Her mind kept thinking about what they could do later and if she could skip out on some of the conference in order to actually leave the hotel with Bo. It felt like she hadn't had enough time with her and she wanted to have some of substance with her.

There were feelings there that Lauren knew she needed think about further. The realization that she was developing real feelings for Bo, more than what she would for a fling, was in the front of her mind now and it wasn't going away. She wasn't completely sure she wanted them to go away.

She was doing some final touches on her hair and straightening the conservative suit she chose to wear for the day, still worried that she might be called up to the podium, when she heard a knock on her door. Lauren smiled and hoped that maybe Bo had changed her mind about leaving but when she looked through the peephole she only saw Jessie on the other side.

She opened the door and smiled politely. "Good morning, Jessie."

The young woman smiled. "Good morning, Dr. Lewis. I hope you had a good first night here. I thought I would escort you downstairs to the main conference room. There's pastries, fruit and croissants along with juice and coffee available. Of course, if you'd like something else the restaurant has other options, too."

"Sounds good. Just let me get my things." Lauren grabbed her materials and followed Jessie out of the room and down the hall.

* * *

The day had been informative, something that surprised Lauren slightly. The first speaker had been dull and slightly in the annoying side since the man's shrill voice did not equate to a good speaking voice. She even saw a couple people who managed to fall asleep during it, something that Lauren had been tempted to do but the man's voice was simply too distracting.

The next two were better though and Lauren took notes on techniques that might be beneficial to her own patients and then even had a good discussion with a couple of doctors based in Boston what they were doing differently. Everything had been a good distraction from her thoughts about Bo but the later in the day it had become harder to do. The other woman had left an amazing impression on her and all Lauren wanted was for the day to be over so she could see her again.

After a few hours of talking and a few pages of notes taken, there was finally a break in the speakers for dinner and for Lauren that meant she could sneak away to the bar. She wondered if Bo was there working and if they could make dinner plans or even plans for after the conference ended for the day. Lauren would have even settled to even hang out at the bar while Bo worked because then she would at least be near her.

The feelings she wasn't sure she had were starting to act up.

She walked into the bar and noticed it was a little more crowded than yesterday but not by much. The same bartender that had been working with Bo was behind the bar again, though this time he was trying hard to flirt with a woman drinking a martini. Lauren walked up, took a seat at the bar and waited for the bartender, Teddy, to notice that she was there.

It was at least 10 minutes before he turned his head her way and walked over to her. "Hey, you're back again. They'll serve free booze in an hour, same as last night."

Lauren smiled at him. "Good to know but I was actually looking for the other bartender that was working here last night. Bo. When is she working tonight?"

He smiled but shook his head. "Oh, Bo's not working tonight. She was just temp because the other full time bartender got sick. I think she normally works at a different bar on the other side of the city. Not really sure where though."

A sinking feeling overcame Lauren and she tried to keep a straight face. "Oh, we're, uh, old friends and I was under the impression we'd meet up today."

"Sorry but I don't think she'll be here tonight," Teddy said. "One of the doctors grabbed her ass last night and she almost kneed him in the groin. I don't think the hotel will use her as a temp for a while and definitely not for the rest of the conference."

Lauren nodded. "Well, thanks for the info. I better get back to the conference."

He nodded and turned back to the woman he was trying desperately to score a date with. Lauren stood up and walked out of the bar, determined to only go back to the conference. It was fairly obvious to her that she would not be seeing Bo tonight and that the other woman had blown her off for some reason. Maybe she had misread Bo's interest entirely.

"Dr. Lewis?"

Lauren closed her eyes and took a breath before turning and looking at Jessie. "Yes?"

"Dr. Fergus was wondering if he could pick your brain a little before his presentation. Are you available for dinner or did you have other plans?"

"No," Lauren said as she let out a sad sigh, "I don't have other plans."

* * *

 **A/N:** sorry for the sad end but I'll make it right, I promise. Let me know what you think. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** **:** this was a day later than I thought here's the next chapter. For anyone reading my other fic, New Rules, I will be working on that one, too. As soon as my classes aren't too terrible, I'll try to get working on that along with the next chapter of this in a few days. :)

* * *

Chapter Three

 _One year later_

Lauren couldn't quite believe that she had actually agreed to go on this trip but she barely saw her old friends and they didn't just want to visit her in Toronto. They had accused her that she might get caught up in her work and they might see very little of her when they came and that created the need for a neutral location. Neutral meant no distractions.

She had wanted to argue that something like that wouldn't happen but she knew she would be at least partially lying. The effort would be made to spend as much time with her friends as possible but once she was at the hospital she often worked longer than her normal shift. It was simply in her nature to do so and that meant a promise could be unintentionally broken. It would also mean she wouldn't see as much of her friends as she would have liked.

The main problem she had with the trip was that they had picked Las Vegas for their mutual destination. A quick weekend getaway, Tamsin had called it. Lauren could fly in from Toronto and Tamsin and Vex could fly in from Vancouver. They could spend a couple days together, having fun and seeing what Vegas had to offer, and then fly back home.

Even if she wasn't exactly over the moon excited about spending the weekend in Vegas, she was excited to see her friends. Lauren had met Tamsin in college when she was an awkward seventeen year old unsure of how to get to her dorm room. She was a two years older, incredibly sarcastic and had more street smarts than Lauren could ever hope to have. Lauren wasn't sure why Tamsin decided to take her under her wing but they had become good friends by the end of the year and by the time she had started med school they were roommates.

Vex was the young owner of a bar Tamsin liked to frequent. Actually, when they met it was his father's bar and he was just helping out but when he died a few years after they'd met, he inherited it. He was crude, constantly hit on men and women alike and had the most amazing yet completely unbelievable stories. He and Tamsin got along well and he gave both her and Lauren free drinks when they visited the bar, which was all the time.

The three of them complimented each other well and Tamsin and Vex were the reason Lauren had a hard time moving to Toronto. She knew she had been lucky to have a couple best friends like them and didn't think she would get that when she moved. She had been partially right, too. There were a couple fellow doctors she would eat lunch with and had the occasional beer with but that was it.

Now she sitting at baggage claim at the airport, waiting for their flight to land. There had been some talk about simply meeting at the casino they were staying at but their flights were scheduled to land only 30 minutes apart so Lauren figured it would be better if she simply waited for Tamsin and Vex. Then they could ride to the casino together.

"Hey, doc!"

Lauren smiled as she heard Vex's distinct accent. She looked to her left and saw him and Tamsin walking in her direction. Both of them already had their luggage so Lauren stood and quickly walked to meet them, wheeling her suitcase behind her.

"Bring it in, Lewis," Tamsin said as they met and Lauren laughed as they hugged. Her friend rarely hugged people but Lauren was an exception.

She hugged Vex quickly as well and they quickly walked out, anxious to get to the hotel and start having fun. Vex had been in charge of booking everything, stating he knew exactly what to do and what would be the most fun. Since he had gotten them into some very interesting experiences in the past, they trusted that he would think of something they didn't.

"So where are we going?" Lauren asked as they got into the taxi. "Neither of you would give up anything on what we're doing and you know I'm not a big fan of surprises."

"It's nothing bad, love," Vex said as he grinned at her. "Figured we'd live it up a little so I booked a penthouse. That way if the nightlife gets too boring we can make our own party back in the room."

"A penthouse suite?" Lauren asked with a raised eyebrow. "Isn't that a little excessive?"

"Says the person who rented a beach house for herself," Tamsin joked.

Lauren smiled but her thoughts immediately traveled to Bo. She loved the days she spent at the beach house with her and that one night in Denver a year ago. They had had so much fun and she didn't know what happened to make Bo leave without saying goodbye.

"Great, Tam, look what you did," Vex commented as he gave her a disapproving shake of his head. "She needs to find someone here so she can get over this Bo."

Tamsin looked at Lauren, looking at though she was trying to be apologetic. "It's been a year, Lauren. She didn't give you her number and she didn't meet up with you like you thought she would. You really don't know anything about her." She sighed. "She must have been a knockout in the sack in order for you to be this hung up on her."

That comment got Lauren to smile. "You have no idea."

"Okay, no one needs that image," Tamsin said quickly.

"Speak for yourself," Vex said as he leered. "I'm betting our Lauren here is quite the surprise between the sheets."

"We're not having that conversation, Vex."

"Oh, we'll see," he said as they neared the hotel. "You'd be surprised what people will talk about after a couple of well-mixed drinks."

"We've known each other for years and that has never happened."

"But I won't stop trying."

* * *

The penthouse suite Vex had booked was amazing and Lauren wondered exactly how much it cost. Her friend had insisted on paying for the hotel while Tamsin was in charge of investigating where they wanted to drink and have a little fun. Lauren was simply in charge of showing up. She figured that was because she had only reluctantly agreed to go.

"Vex, how exactly did you manage to get this place?"

"Bloke owed me a favor," he answered vaguely. "None of that matters though. Let's get changed and find a place with a good drink."

They all separated and retreated to different areas in the penthouse in order to change. Lauren looked over what she brought with and wondered exactly what Vex had in mind for the night. She thought about asking him but knew he would never tell. He liked doing things like this, especially when he was with them outside of the bar. He thought it was fun to keep the two women on their toes, something Tamsin was okay with as long as it wasn't illegal. She was a cop after all.

"Lauren, you almost ready?"

Lauren looked over the black dress she was wearing and decided it was the right option. "Just need a couple minutes."

Tamsin sat on the bed and observed Lauren as she walked into the bathroom. "You okay?"

She turned around and looked at her. "I'm fine, Tam."

"You know I'm good at reading people so you don't have to lie to me," Tamsin said as she raised an eyebrow. "You've got to get her out of your head."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this chick who you've only seen a few days over the past two years," she said. "I mean, you don't even know anything about her. She left you hanging at that conference. Forget about her."

Lauren let out a sigh as she looked at her friend. "It's not that easy. I thought we had a connection, you know? She's the only person I've felt completely comfortable with in a long time. I thought when I saw her in Denver that it was a sign that we could try something, you know?"

"I know," Tamsin agreed. "Here's the thing though. She obviously doesn't want anything serious or maybe she thinks you're too different."

"Why couldn't she just tell me that?"

Tamsin shrugged. "Hey, I offered to give her name to that PI I know. You said you had a picture, even though you've never showed me. It's a naked pic, isn't it?"

The blush crept onto Lauren's face at the comment. She had a few pictures of Bo that she had taken with her phone and there were a couple where clothing had definitely been optional but she had other ones, too. Walking over to the coffee table, she picked up her phone and scrolled through the pictures quickly until she found one she took of Bo smiling at the camera. They had been outside the beach house, looking at the water. It had been such a good day.

She walked back over to Tamsin and gave her the phone. "That's Bo."

"She's hot," Tamsin said as she looked at the picture. "I can see why you're hung up on her." She gave the phone back to Lauren. "But you have to stop."

Lauren sat down next to her friend. "I know I do but it's hard. I've never felt that way before. After I met her I even started thinking that a relationship might not be a bad idea. Maybe I could actually make one work."

"And then she left, Lauren. She didn't leave you a number, didn't give you any real info about herself and oh yeah, she ditched you! I really can't stress that enough."

"I know," Lauren agreed, her head down. "I guess relationships aren't for me."

Tamsin stood up and looked down at Lauren. "No, you just need to have a good time this weekend and maybe you'll meet someone to have a little fun with."

Even if Tamsin was right and she needed to move on, Lauren knew her heart just wasn't in it yet. It still told her that she needed to maybe try and find Bo, even pursue her a little. She wanted what happened in Denver to be a misunderstanding. Maybe Bo had tried to find her later. Lauren had purposefully avoided the hotel bar after she knew Bo wouldn't be working. Instead, she attended all the conference activities and then went to sleep.

Part of her hoped that Bo would have knocked on her door again but then it didn't happen. She even stayed up thinking that it might happen but then it didn't and she went to sleep depressed. When she got back to Toronto she decided she contemplated looking Bo up but again couldn't bring herself to do it. She feared what she would find, though each time Tamsin offered to try to track her down it became more and more tempting to say yes.

Lauren stood up and faced Tamsin. "Okay, I'll try not to think about Bo this weekend. It'll just be the three of us."

"Hey, I'm not opposed to meeting someone this weekend," Tamsin said, a grin firmly on her face. "We all need one night to 'unwind' every once and a while. Besides, I'm pretty sure Vex wants to take us to a strip club."

Lauren cringed. "No! No strip clubs."

"Oh, don't say no until you've tried it, darling," Vex said as he walked into the room. "This weekend is all about experiencing new things and having fun."

She took in Vex's goth appearance and realized he was probably the only man she knew that more one eyeliner and mascara than every woman she'd ever met. "No strip clubs."

"Fine," Vex relented, "no strip club tonight."

That was probably the closest answer she was going to get to an agreement so Lauren close not to argue it further. She knew by the end of the night she would probably be too drunk to even remember if she had been to a strip club or not. That was how nights with Vex normally worked. She would say no to whatever he planned and by the end of the night they would have done just that and probably more.

"Let's get moving," Tamsin said as she started ushering them toward the door. "The sooner we get Lauren drunk the sooner we get her a lap dance."

"No strip club!"

* * *

By the time Lauren had started on her second drink she was already feeling better than she had in a long time. As promised, Vex got them into a club where the drinks were strong and they could observe their surroundings. Her friends would comment on outfits or make up stories about the people who passed by them.

It was easy for her to see now why she ended up agreeing to go the trip with her two friends. Being with them made her forget about her problems for a while and they made everything a little more fun. Lauren didn't have to second guess herself and they saw past her shyness and social awkwardness. Sure, they would tease her about it every now and then but the next minute they would be on to something else or trying to find a way to get her to come out of her shell.

Now that they were on the second drink though Tamsin and Vex were trying to find a girl for her. They would point out a girl and try to get Lauren to go up to her. She tried to tell them it would never happen but Vex just ordered a third round of drinks so she figured it might only be a matter of time before she had enough liquid courage to do what they asked.

"Lauren, what about that chick?" Tamsin asked.

Lauren looked toward where Tamsin was pointing. The woman at the bar was a petite woman with dark hair and short, dark blue dress. She looked attractive enough from what she could see but Lauren didn't think she was drunk enough yet to approach. "I don't know, Tams. I can only see her back."

"Sometimes that's the best part, love," Vex put in. "She's got a nice ass and if her personality sucks just bang her in the bathroom and get back out here."

"Always a romantic, aren't you, Vex?"

"To the core."

They laughed and Tamsin looked at Lauren. "We're not saying ask her out on a date or tell her your life story. Just make out with her a little."

Lauren shook her head. "Why the focus on me? Why aren't one of you looking for someone to hook up with since both of you seem dead set to have me do that?"

"Well, there might . . . already be a guy at home," Tamsin mumbled out quickly.

"What? Why haven't you said anything when we've talked?"

"It's still new, Lauren." Tamsin shrugged. "I don't have to jinx it but Vex is still kind of a man whore."

"I like to call it always looking for the next big thing," Vex said. "Trust me, while I look for you I will still be looking for me."

"How nice of you," Lauren said as she chuckled quietly.

Vex looked out to where the woman they had pointed to was. "She is a hot one though. Doc, you really should go over there and try to shake a claim. It looks like you might have a little competition walking toward the bar. She's got her eyes locked on target."

"Then it's not meant to be," Lauren said without looking in that direction. She had zero desire to go over there anyway. That would come later after more drinks and possibly threats from Tamsin about locking her out of the penthouse if she didn't live a little.

She took another drink, draining it before looking at her two friends. Vex was back to looking over the crowd, likely trying find someone for him to hit on. When she looked to Tamsin though she noticed a weird look on her face.

"Tamsin, is there something wrong?"

"Uh, you can't freak out or let this ruin anything." Tamsin put a hand on her arm. "Promise me that then look toward the bar."

The look on her face was serious so she relented. "Fine, Tam, I promise. Now what is the problem?" she asked as she looked toward the bar.

It was liked the world stopped for a moment and Lauren's mouth dropped open. The woman that her friends were trying to get her to hit on was talking to someone else but that person looked very familiar. The other woman was a dead ringer for Bo and by the look on Tamsin's face, she thought the same thing. Then she looked in their direction and there was no doubt in Lauren's mind. Bo, the woman who haunted her dreams and fantasies, was in the same bar as she was.

If Bo noticed Lauren staring at her, she didn't make a move that she noticed. She seemed to be completely concentrating on the woman next to her, something that caused some jealousy in Lauren. Even though she kept telling herself over and over that Bo wasn't hers, that she had no claim on a woman she'd only been around a few short days, but she still felt the need to stake her claim to Bo. If that didn't work, she needed to confront her about what happened in Denver.

She turned her head back to Tamsin and Vex, who was now paying attention to what was going on. "I'm going to go over there."

"No matter what she says you will not let this ruin our weekend," Tamsin said strongly.

"I won't," she agreed.

"So get over there and see what she's doing here," Vex said. "Then get back over here and we'll drink until you're ready to get under someone else."

Lauren narrowed her eyes at Vex but didn't say anything else before standing and walking toward the bar. Bo was still there having a conversation with the other woman, laughing and having a good time. There were still some thoughts floating around in Lauren's head that this might be a new girlfriend and she tried to make sure there wasn't a hurt look on her face. She didn't want to be that woman who hooked up and then thought they were exclusive.

She didn't want to come off as pathetic.

Once she got to the pair, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Bo?"

Bo turned and it looked as though she was going to tell her off until she saw who it was. Then she looked more shocked than anything. "Lauren?"

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours to Lauren but was probably more like 30 seconds. Now that she was looking into Bo's gorgeous brown eyes, she had no idea what to say. It didn't look like Bo was upset to see her. Instead, it looked like she was both surprised and happy. That wasn't what she expected and all the questions she had disappeared.

"Um, Bo-Bo? Who's this?"

Both of them looked to the other woman and Bo spoke up before Lauren could introduce herself. "Kenz, this is Lauren."

The woman looked at her for a couple of seconds before a realization seemed to hit her and her mouth opened. "Lauren? As in that doctor you . . ."

"Yes," Bo said quickly, interrupting whatever she was about to say. "Lauren, this is my best friend, Kenzi."

Lauren let out a sigh of relief, the thought that this new woman was involved with Bo on a romantic level leaving her mind. "Nice to meet you." She turned to Bo. "Can we talk?"

Bo looked a little panicked but covered it up quickly. "Uh, sure. Kenz, I'll be back in a minute."

Bo took her hand and they walked toward the corner of the club where the music was slightly calmer and Lauren knew she wouldn't have to shout of the noise. She thought of everything she wanted to say but when Bo stopped walking the first thing she did was pull Lauren into a tight hug. Lauren tensed up for a second before wrapping her arms around her.

It felt so good to be so close to Bo again that Lauren was almost willing to forget that Bo stood her up in Denver. She was almost willing to forget the hurt she felt when she realized Bo had left before she had gotten the courage to get her number or to ask more about her life. Lauren wanted to know all about her and Bo hadn't given her the chance.

"I missed you so much," Bo said in her ear and Lauren snapped out of her happy trance.

"Who's fault is that?" Lauren asked as she moved out of Bo's embrace. "The last time I saw you I thought we'd have another night together and then you didn't show up."

Bo only looked at her for a few seconds and Lauren thought she was trying to come up with a good excuse. That wasn't what she wanted from her. She wanted the truth, no matter what it happened to be. Even if that meant hearing that Bo changed her mind about spending time with her, she wanted to hear it.

After a minute, Lauren got tired of waiting. "You know what? If it takes you this long to come up with an excuse that you think I'll believe, I don't want to hear it. I just want to say that what you did was really shitty. I'm just going to go back to my friends."

She turned to go and took a couple steps before she felt a hand on her arm, preventing her from moving. When she looked back she could see a very determined looking Bo staring at her. "You can't just say that and walk away."

"Well, you weren't saying anything," Lauren said as she shook her arm free. "I don't want to be lied to and the truth doesn't take that long to come up with."

Bo sighed. "You're a doctor, Lauren."

Lauren raised an eyebrow at the remark. "And?"

"And you were there for an important conference," she continued. "I was just the temp bartender. I was in the way."

"I never said that."

"You didn't need to," Bo said. "When I left in the morning I felt like I had a target on my back. There were already doctors wandering around in the lobby and the looks I got . . . they weren't exactly friendly, Lauren. All of them figured I had let a doctor use me for the night."

It was Lauren who put a hand on Bo's arm. "Is that what you really think of me, Bo? That I just used you? If you would've actually came back like you said you would have known that was the furthest thing from my mind."

Bo only looked at her for a moment before pulling her close and giving her a light kiss on the lips. "I know that, Lauren. I'm just telling you what it felt like. I couldn't go back."

Lauren wasn't quite sure what to think. She didn't want Bo to feel less than simply because she wasn't in the same social circles as all the doctors but that wasn't a conversation she wanted to have in the middle of a crowded club. It was easier if she ignored it for now and concentrated the incredible luck she had to run into Bo again.

"Well, we're not at a convention now. I'm just having a weekend with the friends I moved away from," Lauren said. "Do you and your friend want to join us?"

Bo smiled the smile that had Lauren weak at the knees. "I'd love to and I think our friends have already met."

Turning around, Lauren saw that Bo's friend, Kenzi, was now sitting with Tamsin and Vex. All three of them were watching them intently and starting waving happily at them once she turned around. She couldn't have been away from her two best friends for more than five minutes and they were drinking and laughing with Bo's friend.

They walked over to the trio and Tamsin addressed them first. "We were betting that the two of you would just ditch us and start banging."

"Tamsin!"

"Oh, don't look so shocked, love," Vex put in. "Our new friend was just commenting on how Bo here would probably just want to get you naked. Apparently, you're 'super bangable'."

Lauren turned her head to look at Bo and noticed even though there was only dim light in the club, the other woman was blushing brightly. Their eyes met and Bo seemed to recover from the comment as she leaned in, putting her lips to Lauren's ear. "Those aren't my exact words but they are surprisingly accurate."

It was Lauren's turn to blush as they moved to sit down. Vex left to get more drinks from the bar, saying that they needed a lot more liquor to celebrate new friendships, and that left the four women sitting at the table. Lauren had a strong urge to reach out and take Bo's hand in her own but the act seemed too intimate at the moment given their current location. She wasn't sure what Bo had told Kenzi about her but she had told Tamsin that Bo had been a fling that she wished could have been something more.

"Lauren, Kenzi was on the same flight as us," Tamsin said as she leaned toward Lauren. "She met Bo in Vancouver."

The comment made Lauren look at Bo with a raised eyebrow. "You're from Canada?"

Bo nodded. "Parents moved there when I was eight. Lived there until a couple years ago but Kenzi's my best friend so I make an effort to see her. Even if that means we meet up in places like Vegas for a girls' weekend."

"I can be away from my bestie for too long," Kenzi added. "It's bad enough when she doesn't call me every day."

"I get what you mean," Tamsin said. "When Lauren moved to Toronto it was hard. Who else was going to hang with me at odd times because cops and doctors can have the worst schedules? It wasn't like I was going to cruise emergency rooms in order to find a new friend. Besides, this one over here needed me in order to have any social life at all."

"It definitely wasn't that way with Bo." Kenzi took a sip of the drink in front of her and grinned. "We would go out and close down the clubs. Sometimes we'd just have to work on no sleep and a hangover but those were some good times."

"Shots coming through," Vex announced as he put a tray full of shots on the table. "Drink up ladies! There's plenty more to come!"

All five of them took a shot and drank it down quickly. Lauren smiled as she looked at her friends immediately talking liquor with Kenzi as she felt Bo's lips on her ear. "I'm so happy we ran into each other again."

* * *

They moved the party up to the penthouse after a couple hours at the club. It was obvious that Lauren wasn't going to be searching for a new fling with the old one sitting next to her and Tamsin and Vex seemed to have found a kindred spirit in Kenzi. Bo's petite best friend seemed to have the same sense of humor as the pair and they all liked to drink.

Once they were inside the penthouse Lauren pulled Bo into the bedroom and shut the door behind them. She turned to look at Bo, who had a smirk prominently on her face. "Trying to get a little alone time?"

Looking at her, Lauren wanted to throw caution to the wind and simply kiss the hell out of her, but she needed more answers first. "I want you to be honest with me."

Bo let out a sigh. "I have been all night, Lauren."

"Will you at least answer a few questions for me?"

"Of course, I will," Bo answered as she sat down at the end of the bed. "I always will, Lauren. We had just agreed that we were going to keep it at a fling. A little vacation fun, you know? I never thought I would see you again."

Lauren sat down next to her. "I didn't either." She paused. "Do you still live in Denver?"

Bo shook her head at first but then seemed to think about the answer. "I guess you could say I'm in the middle of moving."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I'm looking to actually move here." Bo let a smile show as she looked at Lauren. "That's if I can get a job and find a place to live that's not completely disgusting."

"And Kenzi being here?"

"I wanted my best friend to help me," Bo answered. "I don't want to go back home and start over again."

Lauren observed a small change in Bo's demeanor and even though they had been drinking, she could still tell that the change was not a positive one. "Why not?"

Bo tensed up completely and shook her head. "That's a conversation for two people who are sober and it's much too serious for tonight. Can't we just have a little fun tonight?"

"Bo . . ."

"Lauren, come on," Bo said and her eyes almost pleaded with Lauren to agree. "I just want to have a drink with my best friend and your best friends and most importantly, I want to spend some time with you because even though life sees fit to punch me in the stomach more often than not, I have had the incredible luck to see you again. I would really like to enjoy that tonight."

Part of Lauren wanted to say no and press Bo to tell her more about herself. She wanted to hear both the good and the bad, something that she hadn't wanted in a long time. There was still a part of her that thought she could make something work with the other woman. Hell, a tiny part wanted to tell her to move to Toronto.

At least then Lauren wouldn't be alone there.

When she looked into Bo's eyes, she knew that pressing the issue was the wrong move. There was something Bo was either running from or avoiding and Lauren decided she didn't need to know tonight. As long as she didn't let Bo leave without at least getting her phone number, she would be okay.

She was about to respond when there was a knock on the door. "We don't hear any moaning and groaning so we think you need to come out here and drink with us."

Bo laughed and Lauren could tell the tension she held was slowly released. "I guess that's our cue to either get naked or to go join everyone."

"Well, the getting naked part does sound promising, but I think we can have a drink first." She stood then pulled Bo up with her. She leaned in and lightly kissed her lips. "This is my room, by the way. I don't know where you're staying but I hope it's here tonight."

Leaning in to give her a kiss of her own, Bo smiled wide. "That sounds like a good offer."

* * *

Everyone was passed out and it gave Lauren some time to think about the night. It had been a fun night for everyone and it made her happy that she had decided to go on the weekend away with her friends. She was even happier that they had the amazing luck to run into Bo and Kenzi.

They talked and drank, watched some bad TV and bonded over some crazy stories. What Lauren noticed throughout the whole night was that Bo didn't tell many stories where she was on her own. Most were about her and Kenzi getting into some kind of trouble or about something funny that happened to her while on a job. Apparently, the pair worked as private investigators when they were younger, before Bo moved, and got into some tricky situations.

Lauren and Bo had eventually moved into one of the bedrooms, the one Lauren had claimed as her own, and undressed before getting under the covers. They had sex but it was slow and gentle, something that Lauren hadn't experienced since she was a lot younger and had illusions that there was such a thing as lasting love. She had gotten to think love was fleeting and that she wasn't meant to settle down and give into it.

Now that Bo had entered her life, she wasn't so sure.

As she held onto Bo, who was cuddled against her with her head settled in the crook of her neck, she thought about the fact that they had made love. It wasn't like the enormous amount of sex they'd had in Florida or the mind-blowing sex in Denver, there was more feeling this time. It was as though she could feel how Bo thought about her now. It felt amazing.

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

Lauren turned her head to see Bo awake and looking at her curiously. "Once the alcohol wares off I tend to wake up."

"And here I thought I did a good job of tiring you out," Bo said quietly as she smiled at her before turning her body so she was resting more on her side and not on Lauren. "I think I'm up to another challenge."

"Not necessary," Lauren said as she laughed quietly. "Don't want to risk waking up the sleeping trio in the other room."

"I can go put a sock on the doorknob if you want."

Lauren laughed again, knowing that if Tamsin or Vex woke up and saw that the first thing they would do was start knocking on the door. "Definitely don't do that." She let out a contented sigh. "I was just thinking about seeing you again."

"Hmm, best luck ever."

There was a minute of silence before Lauren decided to speak up again. "When we were talking earlier you said something about life punching you in the stomach . . . what was that about?"

"It's nothing," Bo mumbled and looked away.

"No, it's not." Lauren reached out and pressed her hand against her cheek, caressing it lightly and making Bo look at her. "You can tell me, Bo. This isn't just a fling to me and I'm not in this just to use you like maybe some of those doctors thought. If anything, seeing you again has just solidified that whatever this is that's between us is definitely something more."

Bo closed her eyes and let out a breath, only opening her eyes when Lauren moved her hand away. "I keep trying to make my life better, you know? I left Canada, tried to go out on my own but every time there's a roadblock. Then I move, try to start something else, something better. It just doesn't come."

"Why did you leave if you had Kenzi?"

"Bad boyfriend."

"Is that the same one you caught cheating?"

Bo nodded. "After being with you, I decided that I needed someone better than him. He did not take it well so I moved. It was hard to leave Kenz but I thought it was better for me to do it. We kinda thought she would eventually join me. I haven't had much luck since I left though."

Lauren looked at Bo for a few seconds, knowing how she felt for the other woman and everything she had wanted in Denver and then as they talked earlier. "Can I help, Bo?"

She leaned in and kissed her lips, moving away after only a couple seconds. "I think it's something I need to do on my own but thank you."

Even though she didn't want to end the conversation because she could tell there was more to what Bo was saying, Lauren knew she wouldn't get anywhere tonight. Bo was looking a little tired and she was feeling it, too. "I'm here if you need me."

"I know." They kissed again before Bo snuggled back into Lauren again and closed her eyes. Lauren watched her for a minute before falling asleep as well, making sure she held Bo close in her arms.

* * *

When Lauren woke up she was alone in bed and she knew that probably wasn't a good sign. She was still naked so she quickly threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before walking out of the bedroom and into the living room of the penthouse. She noticed that Bo and Kenzi weren't there, only Tamsin and Vex.

"Where's Bo and Kenzi?"

Tamsin and Vex shared a look before Tamsin spoke up. "They left early this morning. Bo wanted us to give you this."

Lauren walked over to her and took the note from Tamsin's hand, fearing that it was just another blow-off from Bo that she would have to recover from.

 _Lauren,_

 _The something more you said you felt last night? I feel it, too, but my life's a mess. I'm not ready to drag you into all that. Kenzi and I left before you could get up partially because I have an interview but also because I didn't think I could bear to see the disappointment on your face. That might look like the easy way out but writing this, it doesn't feel easy._

 _I know in my heart this won't be the last time I see you. I figure you have a more stable phone number than me so I took your number and once Kenz found out Vex owns a bar I have a feeling that your friends have found a new one. We have ways to find each other._

 _Please don't be mad. I'm falling for you._

 _Bo xoxo_

Lauren wiped a tear from her eye and looked at her friends. "Did you read this?"

"Nah, Bo made us promise," Tamsin said, a sad smile on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Do you have Kenzi's number?"

Both of them nodded and Vex laughed. "She doesn't live too far from the bar. I don't think I'm going to need it. She'll probably simply start showing up once she gets back."

She thought about asking for the number and calling it now but then thought about the letter. Bo wasn't ready. She wanted her to be ready.

"Lauren, do you need it?"

"No," Lauren answered, shaking her head. "I need to trust her. I'll see her again."

* * *

 **A/N:** it'll keep getting better, I promise. They have ways to contact each other now and that'll be in the next chapter. Please let me know what you thought of this one or let me know on twitter, hayley128. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Lost Girl.

Chapter Four

* * *

 _7 months later_

Lauren didn't know why she had agreed to consult on a case in Charlotte right when summer was rearing its ugly head but she was deeply regretting it. A heat wave combined with humidity left any activity outdoors almost unbearable for a person who was used to weather north of the border. She tried her best to go from the air conditioning of the hotel to the car to the hospital and back again. It made for a boring time but at least she wasn't sweating constantly.

She had only traveled to the hospital as a favor for her chief since he knew the doctor she was currently working with. Over the last six months she'd been to Charlotte twice, though now she would probably be operating. It was an interesting case so she didn't mind the travel. It beat having to go to medical conferences.

Entering the hospital, she politely greeted a couple nurses she passed and grabbed her phone as she heard it beep, indicating a text message. She looked at it and smiled, looking at a picture of Tamsin, Vex and Kenzi from the previous night. They looked like they were having a great time and she was happy they had found each other. Lauren knew that Kenzi missed having Bo in her life just like her friends missed her.

Thinking of Bo had been giving Lauren mixed feelings as of late. While Kenzi became a fixture at Vex's bar she was told that they rarely discussed Bo. It wasn't that the topic was off limits or that they weren't supposed to talk about Bo's life with Lauren. They just stayed away from the topic because they knew they couldn't help the situation.

There was a difference this time around though. Bo had actually called her a month ago and they had talked for almost an hour. She had found out that Bo decided not to move to Las Vegas and instead stayed in Denver for another few weeks before ending up living in a suburb of St. Louis and finding work at an upscale bar. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to do but it was stable, paid the bills and it allowed her to have an apartment that wasn't completely disgusting.

It sounded like her life was starting to come together which made Lauren consider asking about when she could see her again. She figured that Bo would be able to visit for a day or two or she could even visit her. Lauren thought maybe it would be easier for her to visit St. Louis since she rarely took used vacation days and Bo was just starting out.

By the end of the conversation though Bo hadn't given her an opening to suggest that they see each other and Lauren didn't know how to bring it up. She didn't want to push the issue because she still didn't know why Bo was trying to rebuild her life. She had to believe that Bo would open up to her eventually about everything, especially since she had admitted she was falling for Lauren. Honesty had to be part of any future they had.

The one happy part to the call was that now she had Bo's number. Before they hung up Lauren had told her that the ball was still in her court and that she could call her day or night and as long as she was able to pick up the phone she'd answer. Bo had laughed and said she would test her on it, though she hadn't yet.

Lauren had recently had a review at her hospital where her boss asked her where she saw herself in five years. She knew that he was referring to her professional career but she couldn't help but think about her personal life as well. It would be a lie if she didn't imagine Bo in her life as the woman she came home to after a long day at the hospital. She even hoped that they would be married by that time and though she had no idea of Bo's stance on it, maybe there could even if a child in the mix.

Of course, there was still so much unknown but she would be lying to herself if she said that she wasn't falling in love with Bo. She would dream of her many nights, especially when she was stressed about something. Thinking of Bo became a way to calm herself.

"Dr. Lewis, how are you today?"

Lauren looked over to the nurses' station and saw one of the nurses she had been working with, Natalie. "Fine, thanks. How's our patient today?"

"Waiting for Dr. Davis," she said. "Oh, I just took down a message for you. There's someone in the front lobby asking for you. You must've just missed them."

After a few seconds of thought, Lauren couldn't figure out who would want to see her. "Is it Jonathan's uncle? I know we were supposed to go over the procedure with him today."

"No, Mr. Thao was up here a half hour ago but he's down in the cafeteria now getting something to eat before he meets with you and Dr. Davis," Natalie said. "Do you know anyone in Charlotte?"

Lauren shook her head. "Not unless I met them at this hospital." She let out a slow breath. "Guess I better go see what they want. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She smiled and left the area, walking to the elevator to take it back down to the lobby. Having a person want to speak with her in a city where no one knew her was strange. She had only been there two days and expected to be on a flight back to Toronto in three days at the most. Lauren had been polite and nice to everyone but she wasn't there to make friends so no one from the last time she was in Charlotte should want to see her now.

As she got out of the elevator, she began to look around to see if she could recognize anyone either walking around or sitting in the front lobby. She didn't see anyone right away so she walked over to the front desk and smiled at the two women sitting there. She knew from experience that a smile went a long way with both of them, especially the younger one, a pretty brunette in her mid-twenties. Lauren had a feeling that if she stuck around long enough the woman would probably ask her out.

"Hi, Rachel," Lauren greeted her. "I was told that someone had requested to speak with me."

"Yeah," she said as smiled a very flirty smile at her, "it was right after you walked in. I know I probably just could've told her where you were but I thought I'd give you an out if you wanted one. Didn't look like someone you would associate with."

Lauren raised an eyebrow at the comment but didn't directly respond to it. "Where is she?"

Rachel nodded her head and when Lauren looked in that direction she felt as though her heart might stop. Sitting in the corner of the large waiting area by the front doors was Bo. She was wearing a simple black tank top and tan capris but to Lauren she was the most beautiful person in the hospital. She wasn't looking at Lauren and she almost looked a little sad, like she felt out of place.

"So, do you know her, Dr. Lewis?"

"Yes," Lauren answered as she turned back to Rachel. "That's my girlfriend."

"Oh."

Lauren didn't like how she sounded, it was part of the reason she had described Bo as her girlfriend, but she didn't care at the moment. She quickly walked over to where Bo was sitting. Bo still hadn't looked up and was instead staring at the bag that was at her feet. Lauren didn't like that she looked nervous since the other woman should know that she always wanted to see her.

She stopped in front of her, unable to keep a smile off her face. "Bo?"

Bo looked up and smiled but it was a nervous one. "Hi." She paused for a couple seconds, almost as though she was trying to think about what to say. "When we talked you had said you always would want to see me and I had a couple days off and knew you were here. I thought I would surprise you but you're busy and this was a stupid idea and I didn't know what I was thinking . . ."

"Bo, stop and hug me," Lauren said, cutting off Bo's babbling.

Not waiting for Bo to make a move, Lauren took her hands and pulled her up before wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug. It felt so good to have Bo in her arms again that she didn't care if anyone was watching their interaction. She felt Bo relax against her and Lauren knew the grin on her face was as wide as can be.

"I've missed you," Lauren said quietly as she kept her arms wrapped around her.

"Me, too," Bo whispered.

Lauren let the hug last a few more seconds before she moved away in order to look into Bo's eyes. "When did you get here?"

"My flight just got in," she said, a nervous smile on her face. "I took a cab straight here. I thought I would surprise you but I know you're busy. I can just do something else today."

"I will spend every minute I can with you," Lauren said as she placed a hand against her cheek. "As long as my patient is ready I'll be in an operating room for most of the day but after that I'm all yours."

Bo nodded. "I guess I can sightsee a little."

"Sightsee inside," Lauren said, knowing she probably looked like a grinning idiot now but she didn't care. "It'll be pretty hot out. And I hope you didn't book a room because I want you with me as much as possible."

"Well, as you can see I have everything with me." Bo motioned to the floor where her bag sat.

Lauren reached into her pocket and got out the keycard to her room. "Here, take this and drop off your things at the room. Then you can either hang out or go wherever. I can call you when I'm done here."

Bo seemed to relax at the statement. "That sounds like a plan. Since you're the genius doctor they flew in, does that mean you have a nice room?"

"Yeah, you should see the shower," Lauren said, her eyes focusing on Bo's luscious lips.

Bo noticed and slowly ran her tongue over her bottom lip. "I bet it feels amazing after a long day."

"And it's big enough for two."

They shared a mutual smile and Lauren wanted nothing more than to simply kiss her silly. She didn't know how Bo reacted to public displays of affection though and she didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. It already sounded like she didn't get the best treatment at the front desk, something Lauren wasn't happy with.

"Dr. Lewis?"

Lauren turned away from Bo and noticed one of her patient's nurses, a petite woman named Breanna, was trying to politely get her attention. "Good morning, Breanna. Is Dr. Davis ready for me?"

"Yes, he asked that I find you," she answered. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No problem. I'll be up in a minute."

She nodded and smiled at both of them before retreating toward the front desk. Lauren figured she was told not to come back without her in tow so she knew she needed to say goodbye to Bo and concentrate on what she was in Charlotte to do. If everything went as planned, she could be back at the hotel in order to have a late dinner with Bo and spend the night with her.

Leaning in and putting her lips to Bo's ear, Lauren placed a light kiss on it. "You should probably go before I start telling everyone you're my girlfriend."

"I wouldn't mind that," Bo whispered back but Lauren could hear the nervousness in her voice.

"I'll see you tonight?" Lauren asked as she stepped away from Bo.

She nodded and smiled at Lauren, one that had her swooning. "You will."

Bo grabbed her bag and walked out of the hospital, slipping Lauren's room key in her pocket as she did. Lauren watched her go before turning toward the elevators, noticing that Breanna was in fact waiting for her. She smiled at the young woman as they entered the elevator, Lauren making the effort to concentrate on the task in front of her so she could get back to the hotel and to Bo.

* * *

It had been a long day but it was a successful one and for that Lauren was both happy and relieved. The surgery had been a success and even though the patient was weak, both she and Dr. Davis expected him to make a full recovery. They had entrusted another doctor to monitor the young man for the night so they could get some sleep. Lauren had told both the doctor and the patient's family that she would be back in the morning to check on the progress.

As she took a cab to the hotel, Lauren thought about Bo and how she ended up visiting her in Charlotte and not in Toronto. Maybe visiting her at her home felt a little too real and that it still felt like a fling to her that way. She even thought that there was a possibility that even though there had to be real feelings on Bo's part that she wasn't looking for anything serious.

That was what Lauren wanted. After all her experiences and young heartbreak, she was ready to start something with Bo. She wanted to wake up to her every day and do simple, almost trivial things with her. She wanted to give her soft, "just because" kisses and have stupid arguments about who's turn it was to load the dishwasher. Most importantly, she wanted Bo to be happy with her.

She intended to at least try to bring up the future and what she saw for them. Bo was still trying to find herself and Lauren wanted to respect that but she also wanted a looked movement on her part. She wanted to know that they were moving forward and this wouldn't be another time where she was left alone at the end of an encounter with the woman she was falling in love with.

Getting out of the cab, she remembered that she had given Bo the only key for the room and that she forgot to call to let her know she was on her way. Lauren was simply so excited that she would be able to take Bo into her arms and not let go.

The hospital had booked a suite for her to stay when they had extended the offer to return and follow up on the case she had consulted on. She always thought it was funny that they would book such a nice place when she would spend long hours at the hospital. All she really required was a place to sleep was clean and free from bed bugs. It was a bonus if the hotel supplied at decent cup of coffee in the morning.

She knocked on the door to the room and smiled wide when it opened a few seconds later. Bo smiled back as she stepped aside and let her in. "I almost thought about ordering something without you."

Lauren looked at her watched and realized it was past eight. "Shit, sorry. I thought I was hurrying when I was signing off on my paperwork. We can order room service."

Bo continued to smile as she shut the door then wrapped her arms around Lauren, giving her a light kiss. "That sounds fantastic."

Lauren returned it before moving away from Bo and grabbing the room service menu from the desk in the corner of the room. "They have this chicken that's to die for. We could get that, maybe a little wine . . . some chocolate cake for dessert."

"Hmm, that sounds amazing," Bo said as she looked over Lauren's shoulder at the menu. "So does that offer of a shower you mentioned earlier."

"I should probably shower alone first," Lauren said as she turned back to look at Bo. "I should scrub this day away and I have a feeling that we might get a little distracted if we're in there together. We might never eat."

"I can think of one thing I'm going to enjoy eating," Bo whispered into her ear before kissing it and moving away. "Why don't you take your very boring shower while I order us some food."

Lauren looked into Bo's eyes and thought about how she would feel if this happened every day. Bo would give her a hard time about working late but would easily forgive with a hug and a kiss. They would make dinner together then curl up on the couch with a drink. Soon after they would end up in the bedroom and make love until they fell asleep in each other's arms.

It felt so possible that just the thought of it made Lauren smile, as much as the fact that Bo was actually in her room. She gave her another light kiss before walking toward the bathroom. When she got to the door, she turned and looked at Bo. "I am so happy you're here, Bo."

"I am, too."

* * *

"Wow, this is good."

Lauren laughed has she cut into the chicken breast to get another bite. "I told you."

While Lauren had been in the shower Bo had order the chicken she requested along with the steak they offered and the cake she had also suggested along with a bottle of wine. When she had stepped out of the shower, clad in a fluffy, comfortable robe she saw that Bo had arranged the table for them and when the food came it almost felt domestic.

They didn't sit across from each other though. Lauren made sure they sat right next to each other as they shared the meals and drank some wine. She kept an arm around her as they ate as well, wanting as much contact with her as possible.

"I might have to steal the rest of it from you."

Lauren turned her head and kissed Bo's cheek. "I don't think you'll be successful, honey, but I'd love to see you try."

Bo blushed a little. "I like that."

"What?"

"You calling me honey." Bo smiled as she ate some mashed potatoes. "It's nice."

Lauren smiled as she looked at her food. "I will call you whatever you want me to."

They were silent for the next few minutes as they ate. Lauren thought of what she wanted to ask Bo but could only come up with what future plans. The problem she was having was that she saw a future with Bo in Toronto and wanted her to move there. It seemed like it was too soon but she had been obsessing over the woman since she first laid eyes on her.

"So were you successful today?"

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "You mean with the surgery?"

Bo nodded. "Yeah, that. I want to know more about what you do, doctor. I find your geek speak fascinating."

"I was just a consultant," Lauren said softly as she looked at Bo. "I came down here as a favor to my boss. He wanted my opinion on a surgical technique that would shorten recovery time and be less invasive. It's kind of meant for kids who are already sick and might not be able to take a harsh recovery time. The doctor here wasn't experienced with the technique so here I am."

"So you're the expert? Hot."

Lauren chuckled quietly. "I invented it."

"Hotter." Bo leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Sexy, too."

Unable to think of a response to that, Lauren tried hard not to blush and changed the subject. "How is St. Louis? Do you like your job?"

Bo shrugged. "It pays the bills and I get great tips. I'd like to be doing something else but it's okay for now."

"I have no doubt you can do anything, Bo," Lauren said as she ate a little more. "Do you think you'll be in St. Louis for long?"

"I kind of want see where it goes," Bo said as she looked at Lauren. "It's been a long time since I've felt settled, you know? I want to have that again."

Lauren wanted to tell her that she could have that with her but she didn't want to push. It felt like Bo wanted to prove to herself that she could do it on her own and Lauren wanted to support her. At this point it felt like she would do anything for her.

"You know there was one thing that I missed."

Lauren turned her head and noticed Bo looking down at her food and away from her. "What's that, Bo?"

"You're the only person who ever really held me, you know? When we were in Vegas and we went up to that awesome penthouse you always had your arm around me. It felt like you did it without expecting anything from me either."

"I didn't," Lauren said quietly. "I never know what to expect when I see you, Bo. I just want to be near you, hear you talk about anything and everything. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that you're here."

"Well, I'm happy I'm here, too."

Lauren pulled Bo closer to her and leaned in to place a soft kiss on her cheek. "When I got back to Toronto I was even thinking of asking if I could visit you in St. Louis. You didn't have to travel to me."

Bo shrugged. "It's okay, Lauren."

It felt like there was something that was remaining unsaid but Lauren didn't push it. She looked at the remaining food and moved away from Bo, standing up. Picking up the plate with the chocolate cake on it, she walked back toward the bed. "I have an idea. Bring the wine over here and we'll have dessert in bed, maybe watch a movie."

"That's all you want to do?" Bo asked, an eyebrow raised as she stood.

"I think we both need to relax," Lauren said as she sat down on the bed. "You just flew in today and I was in surgery. So let's eat some chocolate, drink some wine and maybe you can tell me a little more about where you live."

"It's not interesting," Bo claimed as she set the wine on the nightstand and climbed on the bed.

"It'll be interesting to me." Lauren smiled and looked into Bo's eyes. "Everything about you is interesting."

"Sweet talker."

"Just being honest."

Bo looked into her eyes and Lauren thought she might actually be getting somewhere. Maybe the woman she wanted to be with was finally going to start opening up to her. She watched as Bo cuddled up against her and put her head on her shoulder.

"So I picked St. Louis because I was fairly sure that my car would make it there without completely breaking down . . ."

* * *

It had been a couple hours since Bo started talking and she had only stopped fifteen minutes ago when they decided to simply relax against each other. To Lauren it felt like everything was starting to connect with them and she wanted the moment to last forever.

Bo had talked about when she first started looking for a job and was laughed out of her first three interviews. She had tried to become a security guard or even a fact-checker at a private investigation firm but since her last job in that area had been both unofficial and in another country no one counted it as actual experience. The last two even thought she might be lying.

After that, she fell back on old habits and looked for a bartending job instead. The first one wanted to hire her but Bo hadn't liked how he stared at her chest the entire time or how handsy he was. The last thing she needed was to fight off advances from her boss so she looked hard for a couple more days until she found her current job.

Even though bartending wasn't what she really wanted to do the place she worked at was professional, the people were nice and she got excellent tips. The manager even gave her suggestions on where to look for a decent apartment and she ended up with a nice one-bedroom place in a quiet neighborhood. One of her coworkers lived in the same building and they carpooled to work every once and awhile. Bo had even made a couple of friends.

It all sounded great and even though Lauren was happy about it, she also felt sad that she wasn't a part of Bo's new life. She hoped she fit in somewhere in Bo's life and that they could be together. Lauren was getting tired of only seeing person she wanted to spend her life only once every few months or year. She wanted more.

Now she was second-guessing whether or not she should talk to Bo about their future together. When Bo had shown up in Charlotte, Lauren had thought about asking her if she wanted to come back to Toronto with her. She had hoped that they could try out living together and maybe Bo could find a job there. Maybe it wouldn't be the best right away but they would be together. Lauren would do anything she could for Bo.

"You haven't said anything."

Lauren looked down and noticed while Bo was still resting her head on her stomach, she was now looking at her. "Was I supposed to say something?"

Bo smiled. "I don't know."

"I wanted to let you tell your story." Lauren smiled. "I'm happy things are working out for you."

"My life finally has more than one bright spot in it."

Lauren raised an eyebrow at the comment. "What do you mean?"

"You were my one bright spot, Lauren," Bo said quietly. "I would see you and then have to go away. It felt like God was toying with me, letting me have something I desperately wanted knowing full well that I couldn't stick around."

Lauren wanted to ask why she couldn't stick around now but for some reason she resisted. She was afraid of the answer as much as she was in ruining the moment. It had been such a nice night and in Lauren's mind it was the perfect end to her long day. She wanted so many more nights just like this.

"You've been a bright spot for me, too, Bo," Lauren whispered.

"But you have so much."

"I have a nice job and two great friends who live on the other side of the country." Lauren let out a sigh as she took in how lonely her life really was. "I was okay with burying myself in my work until Tamsin encouraged me to take a vacation for myself in order to relax. I think it was probably the best decision I ever made."

"Still such a sweet talker." Bo smiled as she took one of Lauren's hands and kissed her knuckles. "I guess I have Tamsin to thank for meeting you."

"She will probably remind you of that from time to time," Lauren said. "After we met and then after we had to go our separate ways, I thought about you a lot. I always wondered where you were and what you were doing . . . if you had found someone."

"I never wanted to."

They stayed silent for a few minutes after that, watching whatever was on television and enjoying the closeness. Lauren's hand found its way into Bo's hair and she ran her fingers through it absently. Her mind continued to wander on what could be if Bo lived with her or if she moved closer to her. That was something that was entering her mind more and more as they relaxed on the bed.

"Bo?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I just hold you tonight?"

Bo moved away from she could lie down next to Lauren and pulled at her so she wasn't sitting up as much. "You can hold me anytime you want."

* * *

The next day was both good and bad. Though she had to wake up early in order to get to the hospital the act of waking up to Bo was wonderful. When she opened her eyes the other woman was sleeping peacefully next to her and the warmth coming from her made Lauren want to stay there all day. She knew that couldn't happen but that didn't stop her from kissing Bo awake.

They made out for a few minutes before Lauren got up and quickly showered, declining to have Bo join her because she needed to check on her patient. She hadn't received a call during the night so she figured that meant her patient was doing well or as well as can be expected after an operation. If everything went well once she and Dr. Davis did their examination she would discuss with him how long he needed her for. It was possible that she would be on a flight home tomorrow.

That meant she needed to talk to Bo about the future, something she wanted with her. Lauren decided that she would talk to her after she got back from the hospital no matter how the day went. Bo needed to fly back to St. Louis the next day regardless of Lauren's plans.

The day flew by and the operation did turn out to be a success. Lauren was thrilled that her patient was doing so well and seeing the family's relief was one of the reason she had become a doctor in the first place. The act of helping others was something she had always wanted to do and the fact that she was being requested to do so only showed her that she had made the correct decision in her career path. It was the best kind of validation.

One thing that she had noticed during the day was that the one off-handed comment she had made about Bo was spread quickly throughout the hospital. As soon as she had reached the floor her patient was on one of the nurses that had been monitoring the patient asked her how her night was and that it was sweet for her girlfriend to surprise her. Lauren only told that she did have a good night and that she loved that Bo was there. She did it all with a smile on her face, too.

She knew other people there wanted to ask her questions, hospitals usually had their fair share of gossipers, but no one else did. Lauren kept her demeanor professional as she went through the motions and with her meeting later with the other doctor and their chief of surgery. They thanked her for flying to their hospital and for her time with the patient. Her own boss gave word that she could take a couple days if she wished before returning to her own job. She wondered if that news of her new girlfriend even got to him and he wanted her to take advantage of the downtime.

In the end, she didn't care if anyone knew about Bo or if no one did. She only wanted to talk to her about their future and in Lauren's mind, they had one. They had one that included marriage, a big house in the suburbs or a fancy condo in the city, maybe both, a dog or cat and maybe a kid. She bet Bo would make a great mother.

By the time she left the hospital it was late afternoon. When she had left in the morning Bo had told her she was going to do a little more sightseeing while she was working and had assured Lauren that she wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye. Lauren had gotten an extra key to the room so they could come and go as they pleased.

On the way back to the hotel, Lauren arranged a flight back to Toronto the next day and fought to book two tickets. She knew Bo wouldn't drop everything and come back with her. She had her own life now and Lauren didn't want to get in the way of that. Pushing might just scare Bo away.

When she walked into the hotel room she could see Bo's feet at the edge of the bed and smiled. "Honey, I'm home."

Bo sat up and got off the bed, meeting Lauren halfway. Without saying anything, she wrapped her arms around her and gave her a sweet kiss. "Welcome back." She took Lauren's hand and pulled her toward the bed so they could sit down. "How was your day?"

Lauren smiled. "Great. Surgery was successful and the patient is doing well. They don't need me anymore so I can go back home. I scheduled a flight for tomorrow."

"Well, at least I know when I have to leave I won't be leaving you alone," Bo said, a sad smile appearing on her face.

"Bo," Lauren started apprehensively, "can we talk about that?"

Bo visibly stiffened at the question. "Talk about what?"

"Us," Lauren said calmly. "Bo, I want there to be an us. You said you were falling for me in the letter and I'm crazy about you. I can't go this long without seeing you again."

"I am falling for you," Bo said, looking away for a few seconds before looking back at Lauren with watery eyes. "It's just not the right time. I'm trying so hard . . ."

"I know you are, Bo," Lauren said quickly. "I want you to do everything you want and I believe you can do whatever you want. You're so strong and so smart. I would be so honored for you to be my girlfriend. That's what I want, Bo. I want us to be together."

"And how is that going to work? You live in Toronto, Lauren, and I'm just getting my life together. I finally have had a good couple of months where I thought I'm on the right track. When I left my other life there was so much uncertainty and now there's less. I can't move again. What would I do?"

"Whatever you want," Lauren claimed, keeping her voice level as she looked at Bo. "I will support you in anything. You have to know that."

"I don't want you to support me." Bo stood up and took a couple steps away from Lauren. "I don't want to just be with you and not contribute. I don't want people to think I'm taking advantage of you or that I'm just trying to land a rich doctor."

Lauren stood up as well, wanting nothing more than to wrap her arms around her but she knew better. "I don't think that, Bo. I know that you just started out in St. Louis but can you do that in Toronto? You can find a job there and you wouldn't need to look for a place. I . . . I would love for you to live with me."

"I couldn't let you do that," Bo said. "I can't just pick up and leave."

"Then I can come to you," Lauren offered quickly, trying to come up with something that would end with Bo being with her. "I've been making connections at some of the conferences I've had to attend and obviously, some people know of my work. Maybe I can get a job in St. Louis at one of the hospitals there."

"I can't let you do that." Bo shook her head almost frantically. "I can't let you derail your career for me. I'm not worth it."

"You are to me!" Lauren reached out and placed her hands on Bo's arms, causing her to look at her. She noticed her eyes looked panicked, just like she knew her own eyes were tearing up. "You're worth everything to me, Bo. We haven't had near enough time together and I want to correct that. I need you in my life."

Bo closed her eyes. "I need you, too. But I . . . I just can't, Lauren."

"Why are you so scared of this? Is it me?"

"No," Bo said as she shook her head. "You're the one thing that doesn't scare me."

"Then what?"

Instead of saying anything else, Bo leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Lauren's lips. "Please give me more time. I need to get over my fear on my own."

There was a part of Lauren that wanted to say no but the rest of her craved Bo like she did air or water. She needed Bo in her life and would take whatever she could get for now. Eventually, she knew that there would need to be progress or she would need to move on but that could wait. Bo was starting to see positives in her life so maybe that meant she would be ready for that next step soon.

Lauren nodded. "I can give you more time."

It was only when Bo wiped a tear from her cheek did Lauren realize she was crying. "Please don't cry because of this. I can see our future, Lauren. I know it's going to be soon."

Lauren closed her eyes before wrapping her arms around Bo, enveloping her in a tight hug. She knew in that moment that what Bo was saying wouldn't hurt so much if she didn't love her. It had been so long since she'd felt it that she almost did recognize it but love was there. And it was strong.

Time. She just needed to speed up time.

* * *

 **A/N:** I know, I know. The next chapter will be happier, I swear. Our girls just need to work out some things. Please let me know what you think and thanks again to my high bidder for this prompt. Twitter: hayley128. :)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

* * *

 _Two Months Later_

The day off was a long time coming, two weeks to be exact, and Lauren didn't want to waste it inside. It was one of those days where the sun was out and the temperature was on the border between summer and fall, not overly hot but not cool either. Leaves had yet to change colors but it was only a matter of weeks before they would begin to fall, ushering in a new season.

Lauren loved days like this and even though she probably could have used a couple more hours of sleep she thought it would be better for her to take a walk and clear her head. The hospital had been busy and she had several cases to consult on. She also had a couple more conferences booked before the end of the year and she was getting over her nervousness by speaking at one of them. If she was successful she knew that might open more doors for her if she wanted.

Everything felt like it was starting to come together professionally. Personally was another thing entirely, however.

Her cell rang and Lauren pulled it out of her pocket, smiling as she looked at the screen. She put the phone to her ear and her smile morphed into a grin. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

" _Nah, I got a new shift a couple days ago. Now I can sleep normal hours like everyone else."_

Lauren laughed into the phone. The last person she expected to hear was Tamsin but she was happy she did. Her best friend had been working overnights for months so their conversations were usually at three in the morning when both of them were taking breaks from work and were overtired. It made for some wonderfully hilarious conversations.

"Congratulations," Lauren said as she continued to walk down the street. "Now one of us can sleep when it's dark out. I'm going to be tempted to call you at 3am still."

" _Be prepared for a string of obscenities if you do."_

"I wouldn't expect anything less. Besides, it's what I've been hearing when I talk to you during an overnight anyway."

Tamsin laughed. _"What are you doing anyway? It doesn't sound like you're at home."_

Lauren looked around and smiled. "It's a nice day so I decided to go for a walk. I'm taking advantage of it then I'll probably take a long bath and read a book."

" _Wow, Toronto has made you really boring. You need to find a bar you can hang at. I know you'll never find anyone as cool as me or Vex but you need to get out a little, Lauren. That job can't be your whole life."_

"It's not," Lauren argued as she stopped a street corner, deciding to turn and start the walk back home. "I went out with a few coworkers just last week."

" _Really? Well, look at you, Lewis, being all sociable. It wasn't just some thirty minute, down one shot and then out the door kind of thing, was it?"_

"No," Lauren said as she laughed. "It was a couple hours after a shift and I had more than one drink. It was . . . interesting."

" _How was it interesting?"_

"A woman gave me her number and told me I needed to call her." Lauren expected a quick comeback from her best friend but didn't get one. There was only silence on the other end of the line. "Tam?"

" _Are you going to call her?"_

"What kind of question is that?" Lauren asked quickly then paused and thought about it for a second. "Would it matter if I did at this point? Bo doesn't exactly seem like she wants a relationship or wants to be in the same city as me."

" _Lauren, I don't think that's the case."_

"Really? Have you heard something from Kenzi about it? I've only talked to Bo a couple times since I saw her in Charlotte and she doesn't seem to be ready for anything." Lauren let out a sigh. "I don't know how much longer I can wait for her, Tam. I think it might be time for me to move on."

" _Do you love her, Lauren?"_

Lauren let out a slow breath before answering. "Yes."

" _Then maybe you should wait a little longer. Kenz says that Bo loves you, too, but she's scared. She just needs to get the courage to take that next step."_

"I don't know," Lauren said as she turned a corner. "When you think about it, we've only been around each other for a handful of days. How much do I even know about her and how much does she know about me? Maybe I'm just fooling myself at thinking there was such a thing as love at first sight."

" _You're not a fool and you know why? I would never be best friends with a fool. You feel a connection to Bo that I'm sure goes beyond her very hot body. Maybe you need to actually talk about these things the next time you talk to her. Then you'll know if it's time to move on."_

"She always tries to avoid the serious conversations."

Tamsin let out a groan. _"Lauren, I don't know what it is, call it a cop's intuition, but I think that Bo is the one who can make you happy. Just give it a little more time."_

"I'm not exactly happy right now, Tamsin. When I think about all this, I think happy is the last descriptor I'd use. My heart just hurts."

" _I know, Lauren. I'm here if you need me."_

"I know, Tam."

Lauren talked another minute before ending the call but her mind was still on Bo. She agreed with her best friend in that she thought the other woman could make her happy. The only problem was she didn't see that happiness coming any time soon.

* * *

Lauren had spent the night thinking about Bo and what to do but her mind was coming up empty. Letting Bo go would hurt more than she wanted to admit but being in a holding pattern hurt, too. She still had the woman's number from her night out and wondered if there would be any harm in calling.

Maybe it was time.

After a leisurely breakfast of oatmeal and fruit Lauren got ready to run some errands. Two weeks of constant work meant she needed to restock her kitchen and do all the other little things she neglected to do during the times she practically lived at the hospital. It meant she could pick up some healthier options as well since lately she'd been eating whatever was available.

She grabbed her keys and opened the front door just as Bo was about to knock. Lauren blinked a few times to make sure she was actually seeing the person who had been haunting her thoughts. It was definitely Bo, looking nervous with a bag over her shoulder.

"Hi."

Lauren realized her mouth was open so she closed it for a moment, trying to come up with something to say. "Hi."

They only looked at each other for a minute before Bo spoke up again. "Can, uh, can I come in?"

Lauren nodded and moved aside to let Bo inside her house. She shut the door and watched as Bo walked into her living room and slowly looked around. She examined the furniture and the art on the walls, even at a few of the pictures that were on the coffee table and counter. Lauren watched as she turned back to her and smiled.

"Your place is really nice, Lauren."

"Thanks." Lauren let out a breath and tried to think about what was happening. "Bo, what are you doing here?"

"I think I need to explain myself," Bo said as she gently placed her bag on the ground and sat down on the couch. "We didn't exactly leave on the best terms."

"And who's fault is that?" Lauren asked, arms crossed over her chest. She felt like this was going to be yet another time where Bo would be in and out of her life in a matter of days. She didn't want that to happen again.

"It's mine," Bo admitted, "but I want to tell you why."

"I'm all ears."

Bo took a breath and let it out slowly. "This is the most frightening thing that's ever happened to me, Lauren. I've learned throughout my life that taking leaps of faith only get you burned."

"Is that what you think of me?" Lauren asked as she sat down in a chair across from Bo. "Do you really I'm going to use you? Get you here just to dump you? Like it's some game?"

"I'm so scared of this, Lauren." Bo's weak smile showed her fear and Lauren said nothing, choosing to only listen. "I grew up in Vancouver. Before I met you I wasn't in the greatest relationship. His name was Dyson and we were high school sweethearts. He was handsome and charming, wanted to be a cop and help people. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do but started doing a little PI work. I wasn't much into school so thought this was a way for me to help others right away."

"Is that how you met Kenzi?"

Bo nodded. "Met her on my first job. I was following someone and she saved me from bad situation with her cousin. Apparently, I was following someone in a Russian gang. After she helped me, we were kind of a package deal."

"It's good that you have her."

"Yeah and she hated Dyson." Bo laughed as she looked down toward her feet. "He was always a little possessive but once he became a cop he doubled down. Called me all the time, always wanted to know where I was and who I was with. If I was talking to a guy at a bar he thought I was sleeping with him. It was oppressive and then I caught him screwing someone in our bed."

"That was before you went to Florida? Before we met."

"Best week of my life." Bo looked up at her and smiled. "I caught him a week before I left and I stayed with Kenzi the whole time. He never cared enough to find out where she lived so he had no idea where I was. He called all the time, all hours of the day. I didn't know what to do so Kenzi told me to take the trip by myself and then figure out what to do when I got back. And I met you."

"It was a memorable vacation." Lauren smiled at the thought of it.

"It was the best time I had ever had. The way you looked at me was a way no one ever had before. You made me feel like I could do anything, Lauren. When you left I knew that I was better than what I had with Dyson."

"So why did you leave when you got back?" Lauren asked. "Why not stay in Vancouver? You had Kenzi."

"Dyson's messages got progressively more aggressive and he said he'd follow me anywhere. I talked it over with Kenz and we agreed I had to get away and both of us thought he wouldn't follow me to the US. So I left and tried to start over but I was always miserable. It felt like my life was in shambles."

"Did you hear from Dyson once you left Vancouver?"

Bo nodded. "He begged for me to come back, sometimes in a nice way, sometimes not so nice. I'd change my number and he'd find it somehow. That happened for a year after I left."

Lauren thought for a minute before asking a question she needed to ask. "Did you think getting into a relationship with me would be like the one you had with Dyson? Did you really think I would be like that? That I would want to possess you?"

"What do we really know about each other, Lauren? We've only been in the same city for a total of what, two weeks? Maybe a little more?" Bo shook her head. "You wanted me to move here, to be in a relationship, and all I could think about was the what if's. Even though I kept telling myself that you were probably the best thing that ever happened to me I also kept thinking that it's what I thought with Dyson, too."

"I'm not like Dyson," Lauren stated calmly. "I haven't even been in a relationship for years. Ever since having a couple bad ones in college I never even wanted one."

"So why have you been pushing this?" Bo asked, a curious look on her face.

"I've never felt like this before." Lauren smiled as she thought of her total time with Bo. "My last real relationship was when I was in college and she pursued me. It was at one of the few parties I went to and we ended up sleeping together."

"Sounds romantic," Bo said as she smirked at Lauren.

"Not really," Lauren said, smiling. "I figured it was a one-night stand because I was just this geeky kid that was socially awkward and had no idea how to go on dates or even talk to girls without stumbling all over myself. And that was after having a girlfriend and starting to grow into my skin. I was going to make a quick getaway in the morning but she stopped me and asked me out."

Bo raised her eyebrow. "Was it Tamsin?"

"What? No!" Lauren looked at Bo wide-eyed as she tried to get the image of her and her best friend out of her head. "We don't think of each other in that way. She helped me become less socially awkward but that's it."

"Don't worry, Lauren. I'm kidding," Bo said as she laughed. "The look on your face is kind of priceless though."

Lauren shook her head before continuing. "Anyway, we dated but I was all about school and getting to be a doctor as fast as possible. She was more of a partier and only felt it necessary to get by in her classes."

"Sounds like you didn't have much in common."

"Yeah, we really didn't but she was fun and the sex was amazing." Lauren let out a quiet laugh. "It was something I thought I needed in my life, a way to relax and escape the pressures I was putting on myself."

"What happened?"

"I didn't realize we weren't exclusive. I guess she wanted to have 'fun' with other people, too, but never told me. She slept with another girl in my study group and after she found out who I was dating and that I thought I was the only one, she told me."

"I'm sorry, Lauren."

"It's okay," Lauren said quietly as she looked at Bo. "I never told her that I knew. I just broke things off with the excuse that I was too busy to date. She didn't seem too hurt by it." She let out a sigh. "She was my second and last girlfriend."

After a minute of silence, Bo spoke up. "So why me?"

"I fell for you the first time I saw you," Lauren admitted. "All I wanted was to be left alone so when I heard your voice I was determined to tell you to go away. But then I looked up and I saw you . . . I knew that I was in trouble and I couldn't bring myself to tell you to leave. In that moment I knew there was something about you and I couldn't let you leave."

"So that was it?"

Lauren nodded. "Bo, I've never taken a chance like that before or any other time. I put myself out there for you. I don't believe at love at first sight but that's exactly what I felt when I saw you." She took a breath and let it out, trying to make sure she said everything correctly. "I want to trust you with my heart and I want you to trust me."

Bo began to look nervous and Lauren wondered if she'd pushed too far. "That's asking so much, Lauren. I don't want to be hurt again."

"Neither do I but we're never going to know unless we take that chance." Lauren leaned forward and looked at Bo, a pleading look in her eyes. "I want to share my life with you and I want you to want that, too."

"I want that, too," Bo whispered out, looking to the ground. It was so quiet Lauren almost didn't hear her.

Lauren stood up and moved so she could sit next to Bo on the couch. There were tears in Bo's eyes and Lauren reached out to brush them away before giving her a soft kiss on the lips. She kept it short and broke away after only a few seconds before taking Bo into her arms. They kept their arms around each other for several minutes before Bo moved away.

"Everything I own is in my car. I quit my job and left St. Louis a couple days ago."

The smile on Lauren's face was huge and she never wanted it to go away. She kissed Bo again before standing and pulling her up with her. "I think you need a tour of your new home then."

She began to pull Bo out of the living room but she stopped her. "I think I need to explain something. I don't want to move in with you, Lauren."

Lauren let go of Bo's hand. "What do you mean?"

Bo smiled nervously. "If I move in it will only be temporary." She paused and let out a slow breath. "I want to date you and be with you, Lauren, but I think we need to go slow. I need to go slow and going right to moving in with you is not going slow."

"So you want to stay here until you can find a place to live? Even though you can just live here?"

"We need to make sure we're right for each other and even after everything you've said and what I feel, I'm still afraid that after a couple weeks here you'll realize that I'm not what you want."

"You will always be what I want." Lauren looked away from Bo and thought about the situation for a minute. She had been waiting for Bo to take the next step and she had definitely done that. Now she just needed to accept the fact that they weren't going to move at lightning speed. Maybe that was the smart thing to do.

"Lauren, is that okay?" Bo asked, hesitation in her voice. "I know this isn't what you wanted to hear . . ."

Lauren grabbed her then and kissed her hard, wrapping her arms around her. She didn't want Bo to doubt herself further, especially since everything was starting to move in the right direction. Bo was moving to Toronto. She could see her every day now.

When they broke away, Lauren rested her forehead against Bo's. "Of course, this is okay. You're moving here. We're going to be together. This is pretty much the best day ever."

Bo laughed. "Maybe we can do that tour now? I mean, I will be living here until I can find a place and a job."

Laughing, Lauren gave her another light kiss before taking a step back. "Sure, let me show you around."

With a smile on her face, Lauren walked Bo through the condo, showing her all the ins and outs of her place. She ended in the master bedroom, turning to her girlfriend with a smile that she didn't think would ever leave her face. "So . . . that's my house."

"I love it."

"Do you want to start bringing your stuff in?"

"I think there's another way we can celebrate," Bo said. She wrapped her arms around Lauren and gave her a light kiss on the lips. "I can think of a better way to celebrate."

"You know, after I got back from Florida I searched until I found the perfect bed to match the one from the beach house."

"Really?" Bo ran her hands down Lauren's arms before reaching the hem of her shirt. "Is that so? Well, I think I should compare how close it is."

Lauren lifted her arms so Bo could take off her shirt then reach to unclasp her bra. She started to do the same and soon they were naked except for their underwear and lying down on the bed. They kissed softly, gently as their hands moved over each other. Lauren couldn't remember the last time someone had been so delicate with her but she was thrilled it was Bo, someone she loved.

When they finally decided to break away from each other Bo began to kiss her way down Lauren's neck, making her sigh out quietly. She was lightly pushed back so Lauren was on her back as she began to map out her body. Lauren could only close her eyes and let the feeling of what Bo was doing to her wash over her. She concentrated on the feel of her lips as they pressed against her skin and the little nips she felt occasionally.

She felt her underwear being slowly pulled off and Bo's body leaving the bed, causing her to open her eyes. Bo was ridding herself of her own underwear and she winked at Lauren before getting back on the bed. When she lowered herself down and their skin met it felt as though all the air was sucked out of Lauren's lungs. The feeling was better than anything she could remember.

"You feel incredible, Bo," she said as she moved her hands over her body. "It feels like every time is better than the last."

Bo kissed her lips before moving away enough to look into her eyes. "How do you know that? Even though we've known each other for a while, we're really only just starting out."

"I know." Lauren smiled. "I know."

* * *

Her errands were long forgotten as were all of Bo's things that were still in her car. All that mattered was the two of them in Lauren's bed.

They had made love the rest of the morning until they agreed to take a bit of a breather and simply relaxed against each other. Bo wrapped the covers around them as Lauren wrapped her arms around Bo and they stayed silent for a few minutes, basking in what had happened.

Finally, Bo spoke up. "This bed in very comfortable."

Lauren laughed. "Well, get used to it because it's yours for as long as you want it."

Bo let out a sigh. "You know, I'm not going to be able to afford anything in this area, Lauren. When I find a place on my own, it probably won't be the greatest."

Part of her wanted to ask why she even wanted to move out then but Lauren already knew the answer. Bo needed to build up the strength she needed to accept the love Lauren wanted to give her. It was a big step to move. If she needed to have a girlfriend that lived in a different part of the city for a while she could deal with that.

"Wherever you want to live, I'll support you."

They were silent for another minute until Bo started speaking again. "You know how you said you fell for me the first time you saw me?"

Lauren nodded and shifted them so they were lying on their sides, facing each other. "Yes and it's true. I knew once you sat down that I wouldn't be alone on my vacation. There was just something about you that drew me in."

"Here's the thing about that . . . that wasn't the first time you saw me."

Everything about the statement confused Lauren and she didn't know how to respond at first. There wasn't any way that she wouldn't remember seeing Bo before she sat down next to her. "Of course, that was the first time I saw you. I think I would have remembered, Bo."

"I don't think you knew it was me."

"Okay, I'm a little confused," Lauren said as she smiled at Bo, dragging a couple fingers down her arm. "You weren't exactly in disguise at the resort."

"You went to college in Vancouver, right?"

Lauren nodded. "For a couple years. Long enough to get a degree, meet Tamsin and realize I wanted to work there when I got done with school. Until I got this opportunity in Toronto, anyway."

"So years and what feels like a lifetime ago I was doing some undercover work in a not so nice area of the city. I had a client who thought that his employees were stealing from him and then reselling on the street. He wanted some proof so I had track one of them to the area."

"What, do you actually remember seeing me in a coffee shop or something? Cause if you do then you have a much better memory than I do and doctors are supposed to have good memories."

Bo smiled. "No, I didn't see you in a coffee shop . . . but I did tell you to go to one."

Lauren frowned and tried to think back to when she was younger. Though she was honest when she said she had wanted to work in the city, there wasn't much about her college time that was all that memorable. She went through classes as fast as she could, met Tamsin and later Vex, and had a couple of girlfriends, one who dumped her to date a TA.

She thought for a few more seconds before she fully realized exactly what Bo was trying to tell her. She was talking about the day she almost got mugged. It had been one of the worst days of her life.

She looked at Bo, still confused but everything was getting clearer. "That was you?"

"I was just down the block in my car, waiting for the guy I was tracking to leave the shitty apartment building he was in. At the same time, I was watching a homeless guy eyeing people for at least an hour before you started walking down the street. You looked so miserable but you also looked vulnerable and that wasn't a good combination for that area."

"I had just broken up with my girlfriend," Lauren said quietly as she thought about that day.

"Was that the one you talked about earlier?"

Lauren shook her head. "This was another one, my first girlfriend. My first everything really. I was young and wanted school and she wanted someone else. I was leaving her apartment when my car broke down and my cell was dead. She lived in kind of an abandoned area so I had to walk to find a place that would let me use a phone so I could call for a tow truck."

"I really thought you would run when he stopped you but you froze."

"I didn't know what to do," Lauren said. "I didn't have anything to give him but he didn't know what. He said he was going to drag me into the alley and make me wish I had just given him all my money."

Bo nodded. "I could see you were in trouble and when it looked like he was going to hurt you I didn't even think. I just got out of my car and ran. I figured since I was kind of incognito that he would just get scared that someone was rushing him and run off."

"He did."

"Yeah," Be agreed and pressed her hand against Lauren's cheek. "You looked so scared and I wanted to stay with you so much. But then I saw the guy I was tracking walk out of the building and start walking away. The client was paying big money, to me anyway, so I knew I couldn't lose him. That's why I gave you that money and sent you to a place I knew. I knew you would be safe there."

Lauren turned her head and pressed her lips against Bo's palm. "Did you know who I was when you saw me on the beach?"

"Yes and no," Bo answered, smiling. "When you looked up at me when I asked if the seat next to you was taken I just knew I had seen you before. I just couldn't place where and you didn't say that I looked familiar. After the first day, I stopped thinking about it because I kept telling myself that I would have definitely remembered if we had met before."

"And then you thought we were too different?"

"I guess, a little," Bo admitted. "I figured the places we would go, or places I assumed you would go, would never meet. It wasn't until we saw each other in Vegas that I put all the pieces together."

Lauren smiled as she thought about their time in Las Vegas. It was the first time they had made love and the first time she really knew that she had to have Bo in her life. That she needed to get to know her. "You knew when you realized I had lived in Vancouver."

Bo nodded. "It all made sense and it made me wonder if I had fallen for you all those years ago but hadn't realized it. I don't think I would try to take down some guy without a weapon for just anyone. I really didn't want to see you hurt."

"I don't know," Lauren said as a small smile began to form on her face. "The way you dressed looked very tough."

"Well, the work I was doing required that I looked that way."

They kissed gently before parting again before they resettled, Lauren moving to lie on her back while Bo rested her head on her chest. She ran her fingers through her hair as she thought about her girlfriend and the future.

"Bo, did you think about what you want to do? Do you want to get into private investigation again?"

"I don't think anyone will hire me," Bo said as a little sigh escaped her lips. "Some of the stuff I did in Vancouver wasn't on the up and up. Not exactly something I can put on a resume."

"Maybe you can start off with something small," Lauren offered. "Just a job or two on the side while you do something else. Have you thought about going to school?"

"Not really," Bo said. She turned so she could look at Lauren, her eyes inquisitive. "Does something like that bother you?"

"Of course not," Lauren said immediately. "You can do anything you want, Bo, and I'll support you. I just don't want you to think there's anything you can't do."

Bo smiled and moved up to kiss Lauren, moving away after only a couple seconds. "Thank you. I know I'm not doing things the way you would but I'm not super-smart like you."

Lauren wanted to say that she thought Bo was smart, more than she gave herself credit for, but left it alone. She decided she would simply be supportive and help whenever Bo wanted her to. It had been a long time since she had even thought about wanting a relationship so she knew she would be a little rusty.

"So I never even asked if you were working today," Bo said. "I just kind of showed up and put a stop to all your plans. I'm not making you late for anything, am I?"

Lauren shook her head and laughed. "No, today's my day off. I was just going to run some errands. There's no food in my kitchen because this is the first couple of days I've had off in a while. I have to be at the hospital at five tomorrow morning."

"Then we better make today last."

Lauren couldn't agree more as she kissed Bo once again.

* * *

 **A/N:** only one more chapter/epilogue to wrap this one up. I promise I will concentrate on New Rules after this since I kind of pushed it off to the side in order to finish this for Club Doccubus. Please let me know your thoughts, I appreciate all of them. :) Twitter: hayley128


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Lost Girl.

Epilogue

* * *

 _Five years later_

Lauren looked around her lab to make sure everything was in its place before shutting off the lights and closing the door. She wanted to make sure everything was right where it should be in the morning so she could start right where she left off. The research she was conducting was time consuming and she didn't want to redo parts if she didn't have to.

"Dr. Lewis, can I stop you for a moment?"

Lauren turned around to see a colleague, Dr. Marcus, trying to catch up with her. "I only have a minute. I don't want to be late for dinner two nights in a row."

"Don't want to incur the wrath again?" he asked, chuckling at the raised eyebrow on her face.

"It's not really a wrath. It's more just a stern look," Lauren said as she continued walking with him by her side. "I like spending as much time as I can at home."

"And the OR's loss is our gain." He smiled as he opened a folder in his hand. "I was hoping to get you to look through my presentation overview in case I'm leaving anything out."

Bringing work home wasn't something Lauren liked to do but she reached out as an offer to take the folder anyway. "I can give it a once over tonight."

"Thanks, Dr. Lewis. Have a good night."

"You, too, Dr. Marcus."

Lauren watched him go before putting the folder in her briefcase and closing it before walking out of the building and out to her vehicle. It was parked right in front, in a spot with her name on it. She looked at it for a moment, still not quite believing she was important enough to have her own spot. Then again, she had been heavily recruited to join the research team.

So much had happened in the last five years and Lauren knew that it had probably been the best of her life, even if she wasn't doing what she thought she would be. When she had gotten her medical degree she thought that by now she would be highly respected surgeon, maybe even becoming chief of a hospital. She had always been so career-oriented that she didn't think there would ever be something that would stand in her way.

That was before Bo.

The other woman had changed her life but it was all for the better. Lauren saw her priorities a little different now but that was because she had people who depended on her. She was needed for more than just her medical knowledge these days.

She quickly got in her car, an SUV that was on the spendy side but one that Bo insisted was the safest around, and tossed her briefcase on the passenger seat. Lauren started her drive home after taking a quick peek in the back to what she would need to clean up when she got home. Her vehicle was always nightmarishly messy most of the time now.

All of it made her happy though, starting when Bo decided to move to Toronto. Lauren had originally thought the other woman would live with her for long enough that she would realize they didn't need to live apart but she was wrong. She had underestimated how much Bo had been saving and maybe even how determined she was to pull her life back together on her own. She found a job doing background checks within two weeks and found an apartment a couple weeks after that.

Lauren was sad that Bo moved out but she supported her nonetheless. Bo's new apartment was small and it was farther away from Lauren's place than she liked but she also knew that it was only temporary. Eventually, they would decide that their relationship had progressed to the point where they would agree to move in together.

It had been fun getting to know Bo slowly, even if that meant she didn't end every night lying next to her. She found out more about Bo's likes and dislikes and that she was a little messier than Lauren thought she might be, or at least than she was. They found that they differed on decorations: Lauren liked everything to have more of a modern feel while Bo went for classic. Lauren was more of an early riser and Bo tended to be a night owl. It was nothing major but they slowly found where they might need to make compromises down the road.

One major hurdle after Bo moved out was how much time they spent together, or at times, how little. While Bo had a steady job that only occasionally needed some weekend work or extra hours, Lauren was still a valued surgeon that had a demanding schedule. She also had scheduled conferences and found it hard that Bo wasn't able to go with her. It wasn't that she wanted Bo to ignore her own work but being away from Toronto meant less time with the woman that was becoming the love of her life and easily the best part of it.

Bo initially hated her schedule as well, one time even claiming that Lauren would always love being a doctor more, but they slowly began to work out something they could deal with. The hospital ended up being the same distance from Bo's place as it was to Lauren's so Bo would occasionally visit Lauren there and Lauren made a habit of having a change of clothes in case she decided to go to Bo's after a long shift instead of going home. It helped to be able to curl up next to someone after a stressful day and Lauren took advantage of that.

About a year after Bo moved to Toronto Lauren thought it was time for the next step but she didn't simply want Bo to move in with her. She wanted to ask her marry her. Over the year she had gotten to know everything she could about the other woman and it had only made her love her more. She didn't want to wait any longer and after talking it over with her friends, she started shopping for the perfect ring.

It took a month to find a ring and decide on how to ask. The way she saw it she only had one chance to propose to the love of her life and she wanted it to be perfect. She thought of different ways to do it, public and fantastic ways, but in the end she didn't think Bo would appreciate that as much as something intimate.

Lauren started with showing up at Bo's workplace right as she was leaving on a Friday afternoon and telling her they were spending the weekend together, just the two of them. Bo had thought that meant they were going somewhere but instead Lauren had arranged a table set for two in her dining room with a nice bottle of wine chilled. When Bo asked when they were having for dinner, Lauren admitted she had prepared tacos, the first meal they had shared in Florida.

Bo had asked her more than once if she was missing an anniversary or something but Lauren didn't let anything slip. She did get increasingly nervous as the meal went on, so much that by the end her hands began to shake. When Bo finally asked her what was wrong and then asked if she was breaking up with her, all Lauren could do was walk over to her girlfriend and get on one knee.

After a shaky speech and some tears, Bo said yes. It wasn't until after several rounds of celebratory lovemaking that Lauren got around to also asking if Bo would move in with her as well.

The wedding was small since neither of them really had much family and they even contemplated getting married in Vancouver where their closest friends were. In the end, they stayed where they were when they found a little place outside the city that was perfect for the intimate wedding they had planned.

Lauren didn't remember much about their wedding day except that she was so nervous she nearly threw up her breakfast. She also remembered how speechless she was when she saw Bo in her wedding dress for the first time and how she cried when they exchanged rings. The party after was a blur of laughs, speeches and a lot of drinking.

Both she and Bo had painful hangovers the next morning.

It wasn't too long after that when they began a serious discussion about kids. They had already bought a larger house so expanding the family seemed natural. Lauren had found out early when they started seriously dating that Bo wanted to be a mother and though she hadn't given the idea of children much thought before, she wanted them with Bo. She had realized early on there wasn't much she wouldn't do for Bo.

The process was by no means easy. A few months in Bo had gotten pregnant and words couldn't describe how happy they were. They talked baby names and started preparing their home for a new addition. Lauren was on the verge of telling other people when she gotten a phone call from her wife, who was crying hysterically.

Losing the baby was hard on both of them, so much so that Lauren wasn't sure Bo would want to try again. It was all she could do to simply support her wife and be there as they got over the loss.

It took some time but one day Bo brought the subject up again while they were eating dinner and Lauren eagerly agreed. They went through the process again and this time everything went as planned. Bo's pregnancy was trying at times but only because of her odd mood swings and the occasional demand for tacos and ice cream at two in the morning.

Little Charlotte was five months old now and Lauren wanted to spend every minute with Bo and their daughter. It was when Bo was pregnant with their little girl that she decided to step away from her demanding surgical hours and look for something else. She had always thought about doing some work on the research side of the medical world and it didn't take too long before she had a generous job offer from a research facility. The hours were set and she could work on developing treatments and cures. After a talk with Bo, she accepted the job.

Lauren smiled as she thought about her life now. It was so different from what she thought it would be but she wouldn't change anything. As she pulled her car into the garage of the house they loved so much, she knew that she had made the right choice in letting Bo sit next to her all those years ago.

She grabbed her briefcase and walked in through the door, immediately hearing her daughter's babble. The noise alone made her smile but the sound of her wife talking back to her made her laugh quietly.

"Yeah, I know, sweetie," Bo said. "Chicks, right?"

The comment made her raise an eyebrow and she made a quick detour to drop her briefcase off in her office before walking into the living room. Bo was sitting on the couch with Charlotte on her lap watching cheesy daytime dramas.

"This is what you watch with our daughter?"

Bo turned to Lauren and smiled guiltily. "You can't expect me to watch all that educational stuff with her nonstop. We need to have a little fun."

"Those videos are helping to teach her important things. Learning can be fun."

"Maybe that's something you can do with Char then and I can show her the joy of mindless melodrama," Bo offered before kissing Lauren on the lips as she sat down next to her. "She's still a baby, Lauren. We don't need to start all the educational stuff now. I already know she's a genius."

Lauren laughed. "Of course, she is." She smiled as Charlotte reached out for her and she gladly picked her up, giving her a hug. "And the things I buy will only help in making her the smartest little girl in the world."

Charlotte chose that moment to reach out and take hold of Lauren's hair. She let out a groan and started to pry her daughter's hands away, Bo helping as she laughed. "You know, if you put your hair up like I do when she's awake, you wouldn't have this problem."

"But she's not with me at work so I don't need to."

"You should though," Bo said as she stared lovingly at Lauren. "You have the sexiest neck."

Even after the years they had spent together, Bo still had the ability to make Lauren blush. She held Charlotte in front of her, eying her before covering her face in kisses and making her giggle. She sat her back down on her lap as she felt Bo place a couple soft kisses on her neck. "Hmm, this is why I'm always rushing home at the end of the day."

"And we love that you do." Bo rested her head on Lauren shoulder. "Cal called me today."

"What did he want?"

"He wanted to know when I was coming back to work," Bo said before sighing. "He offered a promotion and a nice raise, too."

Lauren laughed. "I'm guessing your replacement didn't work out."

"Apparently, he's already been through two." Bo laughed. "My amazing, 'we'll never know you're gone' replacement was caught stealing."

Lauren remembered how upset her wife had been when her boss had said that on her last day. She had wanted to take six months off but Cal made it sound like they really didn't need her to come back at all. Lauren wanted nothing more than go to Bo's office and punch her boss for making her very pregnant wife cry but instead only assured Bo that they would figure everything out when she was ready to go back to work.

"Do you want to go back?"

Bo sighed. "I'm not sure. I miss talking with other adults during the day but I love spending all this time with Charlotte."

"If you want to go back to work you can," Lauren offered. "You could do something part time if you want. We could get a nanny for Charlotte."

Bo was silent and Lauren hoped she hadn't upset her. They had only talked about getting a nanny once and it ended in an argument where Lauren thought she would be sleeping on the couch. She didn't since they never could stay mad at each other for very long but she never brought it up again, thinking Bo would bring it up when she was ready.

"I don't want to leave Charlotte." Bo mumbled something else but Lauren couldn't hear it.

"What's that, babe?"

"I think I want another baby," Bo practically whispered. "I think I want to have another baby before I go back to work."

Lauren didn't know what will to say right away. When they had been planning their wedding they had been walking through a store and when they passed some furniture Bo admitted that she wanted at least two kids. There had been all this planning after that but once they lost the first baby and Charlotte was born, Lauren thought maybe they would just have the one and she was okay with that. She was happy with their family as is.

'What do you think, Lauren?"

Lauren looked down at Charlotte, watching her daughter examine her hands and grip her fingers, and knew she would love to grow their little family. Charlotte looked like how she imagined Bo looked like as a baby and she would love to have another, maybe a little boy.

"Lauren?"

She turned to her and smiled. "You have given me so many incredible memories. The day you said yes and the day we got married. Our honeymoon to the resort where we first met and the day Charlotte was born." She lightly ran a hand through Charlotte's dark hair. "Of course, I want to make more of those memories with you."

Bo's face brightened instantly. "Really?"

Her hand reached out and caressed Bo's cheek while the other held onto Charlotte. It felt like she was touching the two most precious things in the world. "I love you, Bo, and I love Charlotte. I will love any additional little one that comes into our lives."

They kissed softly and Lauren got as close to Bo as she could while still holding Charlotte. They only broke apart when their daughter started to babble excitedly. "I guess she's a little excited, too," Bo commented as she laughed. "Or maybe just hungry."

Lauren laughed, too. "Why don't you feed our little genius and I'll get dinner started?"

Bo stood before taking Charlotte from Lauren. "Sounds like a plan, babe."

Lauren watched as her wife carried off their daughter, smiling at how her life changed completely when she decided to take a vacation.

Best decision ever.

The End :)

* * *

 **A/N:** thank you so much for your support and a special thanks to ohsixtytwo for being the high bidder and for requesting this one. It was equal parts fun and challenging to write. Now that this is finished I'll start work on the next chapter of New Rules and I have another couple ideas, too. Please let me know your thoughts here or on twitter: hayley128. Until next time! :)


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